Social Skills Training for Children with Asperger Syndrome

The most important symptoms of Asperger syndrome are:

• lack of willingness or inability to cooperate with a group,
• disorders in the area of ​​social interaction,
• language and speech disorders (e.g. pedantic and stiff speech, disorders in the area of ​​proper understanding of language – primarily metaphorical meanings),
• routine, unchanging behaviors,
• strongly narrowed interests (e.g. obsessive interest in only one narrow area),
• motor clumsiness (does not always appear),
• problems with non-verbal communication (e.g.: scanty facial expression, difficulties in maintaining eye contact).

What can be done for children with Asperger syndrome to make it easier for them to function in society?

Improving the social competences of children with Asperger syndrome can begin with:

• indirect (Internet, telephone, etc.) or direct social communication training,
• contact therapy – its essence is spending time in the company of peers and observing correct (typical) patterns of behaviour,
• teaching behaviours appropriate to specific social situations (e.g. family meetings and celebrations, classes conducted at school, etc.),
• developing skills in the area of ​​understanding oneself, other people and the norms and social situations correlated with them, cultural and interpersonal expectations,
• rehabilitation in the area of ​​empathy, emotional intelligence, emotional adjustment to the needs and expectations of others.

Therapeutic interventions must also include symbolic and thematic play. Each of these is closely linked to language skills and imitation skills. Children with Asperger’s syndrome usually have difficulty playing in a group. They also find it difficult to take on different roles (usually those imposed on them). It is also worth remembering that the rules of team games can also be problematic for them. For this reason, it is very important to teach children slowly but consistently different forms of play. It is best to start with what a given child likes the most. This could be, for example, going to the playground in the garden. At first, you can go there with them without other children. Only when they become familiar with them, you can start introducing other children there (e.g. cousins, kindergarten or school friends).

The key help provided to a child with Asperger’s syndrome should be consistently encouraging the child to be with a group. A good idea to encourage them may be to create a home gym or a play corner, because in a familiar space it will be easier for them to overcome everything that is sometimes problematic for them (in the area of ​​establishing and maintaining social relationships with other children).

A simple and very well-known imitation game effectively teaches mindfulness. To make it more attractive for the child, you can, for example, make thematic masks together or work on costumes and props.

It is equally important to teach your child what and when to say. The optimal solution is to rely on specific examples taken from life.

Modeling two-way interactions is another competence that should be worked on. A game of showing and guessing can work very well in this case.

Playing together is one of the most important aspects of education. Children with Asperger’s syndrome usually play in one and the same, strictly defined and schematic way. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that they gradually (to the extent of their abilities) begin to break this routine developed alone. For example, if a child likes to play with blocks, it is necessary to provide them with a suitably large set and company, so that over time they learn, for example, to build towers and other structures together with other children. Of course, integration and cooperation will come with time – so the most important thing is not to be discouraged by initial failures and to be consistent in the planned actions.