Effectiveness of social skills interventions in young people aged 12 to 25 years with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background While there are numerous social skills interventions (SSI) designed for pre-schoolers, the evidence supporting their effectiveness for adolescents and young adults remains limited. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the available evidence on the efficacy of SSIs on core autistic traits among youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder aged 12–25 years. Methods Several electronic databases such as APA PsychINFO, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Education Source, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Pubmed, Ovid MEDLINE, Educational Administration Abstracts and SocINDEX with Full Text, were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-controlled studies, with either a waitlist or active control group. Results The review included 15 (14 RCTs and one quasi-control study) studies ( N = 1244). Meta-analysis revealed that participants receiving SSIs resulted in improvements in social skills, based on observation (standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.78), adolescent (social knowledge (SMD = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.15; 2.91) and social performance (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.10; 0.81), and parent (SMD = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.71) reports, but, not on teacher reports. However, when SSIs were compared to an active control group, none of the reported measures showed a statistically significant effect of the SSI. Conclusion There is limited evidence that SSIs have some beneficial effects in improving social skills in adolescents. However, many studies exhibited low quality, highlighting the necessity for future research to prioritise enhancing study quality, particularly using active control conditions. Clinical trial number Not applicable.