How Can Social Skills Groups Help?

Children need to learn how to interact with age mates and this requires the intervention of an adult teacher. This is where social skills groups come in. These refer to small groups of about 2-8 kids who are being taught problem-solving skills, friendship, and conversations. Such skills are very useful when it comes to emotional control and understanding of other people’s perspectives. An example of a social skill group is young kids living with autism. They can have weekly sessions every season covering such topics as communication, choices, social boundaries, friendship, and awareness of other people. It is like group therapy where participants learn how to start conversations in different scenarios and use humor. They also discuss with their teacher how to choose friends and organize meetings. Handling arguments, gossip, rejection, bullying, and teasing are also addressed. Each session entails coaching and ongoing feedback through rehearsals and homework. No formal diagnosis is needed to start the program.