Origins of the iSocial approach

iSocial is a university research and evidence-based intervention that helps people with autism develop social skills. The program was developed by The University of Missouri and the Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Seventeen university studies have proven efficacy.

The program is facilitated by a speech language pathologist (SLP) or similar professional who has been trained to administer the workshops and sessions. iSocial is delivered virtually using Zoom or a similar program. A scaffolding structure is deployed through the  design of the sessions, and social orthotics are provided that help with generalization. (An earlier edition of the program, Social Competence Intervention (SCI), is the original, in-person (non-virtual) classroom version of iSocial.)

Research

Principal investigators

• Janine Stichter, Ph.D.

• Jim Laffey, Ph.D.

Observations and outcomes

iSocial leads to the intended outcomes of improving social skills for students with ASD and students with social skills deficits. Our product is the virtual learning version of Stichter’s Social Competence Intervention (SCI) which has been shown to be effective in improving social skills with individuals with Autism. Stichter, et al, have demonstrated that the same SCI in-person approach to also be effective in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

(Wang, X., Laffey, J. Xing, W., Ma, Y., Galyen, K., Stichter., J.P. 2017; Laffey,J., Stichter, J.P., & Galyen, K. 2014; Stichter, J. P., Laffey, J., Galyen, K. & Herzog, M.J. 2014; Schmidt, M., Laffey, J., Schmidt, C., Wang, X., & Stichter, J.P., 2012; Schmidt, M., Laffey, J., Schmidt, C., Xianhui Wang, & Stichter, J.P. 2012; Laffey, J., Schmidt, M., Galyen, K., & Stichter, J.P. 2012.)

The SCI intervention integrates multiple evidence-based practices shown to be effective with individuals on the autism spectrum including a Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (CBI) approach.

(Bauminger, N. 2002;  Solomon, M., Goodlin-Jones, B.L. & Anders, T.F., 2004; Stichter, J.P., Herzog, M.J., Visovsky, K., et al. 2010.)

This approach is used to help participants increase a variety of skills that are key components of gaining social competence including the ability to recognize emotions in facial expressions. Stichter, et al., have demonstrated that previous versions of SCI have increased emotional recognition (2010, 2017).

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