Designing a Program for the Generalization of Social Skills in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism: Application of Cognitive Model of Social Information Processing

he purpose of this study was to elaborate the effectiveness of a program based on the information processing model on the social skills of people with high-functioning autism. This research was a semi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test and follow-up with control group. The research population consisted of all high-functioning autistic adolescents in Sirjan city and among autistic adolescents referred to Mehrak Autism Center, 12 subjects were randomly selected and divided into two experimental (n=6) and control groups (n=6). In order to measure social skills, Gresham & Elliott: Social skills rating system (1990) and semi-structured interviews with were used. The program was conducted twice a week in 12 sessions of two hours. 60 days after the end of the sessions, the groups were evaluated again regarding social skills status. The results showed that social skills training based on this model resulted in, generalization (interview with mothers and adolescents) and maintenance of social skills; So social skills training based on the principles of social information processing model leads to improvement, generalization and maintenance of social skills in adolescents with autism.