Developing emotion-based social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disability

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterised by core difficulties in social and communication skills, as well as restricted and repetitive behaviour. ASD is commonly associated with intellectual disability. Children with intellectual disability have delayed social and emotional skills, generally commensurate with their overall skills. However, children with intellectual disability and co-morbid ASD have deficits in social and emotional skills that are more than expected given their overall abilities. These social and emotional skill deficits in children with ASD may be one of several contributing risk factors to the very high prevalence of mental health issues in this population. Thus, interventions to promote social and emotional skills may provide an avenue to promote the mental health and wellbeing of children with ASD and intellectual disability. This chapter outlines current research and resources in the area of social and emotional skills.