The impact of mindfulness-based group interventions on the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Review of literature

Abstract

A key factor associated with autism spectrum disorder is difficulties in social skills and reciprocity. As a result of these difficulties, children and young people with autism spectrum disorder experience more loneliness than typically developing children and the experience of loneliness in turn predisposes to mental health problems. It is therefore important to find and develop treatments that help these children and adolescents. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the impact of mindfulness-based group interventions on the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. A literature search identified 7 studies that included two different group intervention models: MYmind (Mindfulness training for Youngsters with ASD) and TüTASS (Tübingen Group Training for Autism Spectrum Disorders) models. In all but one of the studies included in the review, improvements in social skills were observed either on the overall scale of social responsiveness or at least in one domain of social competence. Effects were generally found to either persist or even intensify during the follow-up period. Only one of the included studies used a control group and found no difference between the groups. Although further research on this topic is needed, the currently available evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions appear to be promising methods for improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).