Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. Social skills problems are main features of autism. The Over-Pruning Hypothesis suggests that such problems may be due to over-pruning of neural areas important to social skills. Intervention for social skills before age 5 years may strengthen connections, reducing pruning. Process drama may be a particularly effective way to practice social skills. This poster will describe the feasibility of an interdisciplinary (drama, OT, speech-language pathology) process drama program for social skills in preschoolers with autism. Primary Author and Speaker: Lorie Richards Additional Authors and Speakers: Heidi Woolley Contributing Authors: Xan S. Johnson, Pamela Mathy, Stacy Manwaring, Megan Raby, Wendy Wilde, Lise Thornton, and Penelope Caywood

Date Presented 04/6/21 Recreation and leisure participation are important for physical and mental well-being. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate lower well-being. This study examined the impact of emotional regulation and social skills on participation in leisure in a large dataset. Results indicated a significant relationship between these factors. This suggests important OT intervention targets for children with ASD to improve mental and physical well-being. Primary Author and Speaker: Karen Ratcliff Additional Authors and Speakers: Abigail Bradfield, Jessica Schmidt, Maxwell Toepfer, Helen Matsoff, Allison M. Yingst, Kristen Pickett, Kecia Doyle, and Paul Mross

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. The BRIDGE program is presented to bridge the social needs of children with sensory processing and integration challenges by providing services in dyads, triads, or quartets. This 12-session program focuses on six themes: whole-body listening, personal space, turn-taking, trading objects and toys, listening and communicating personal ideas, and sportsmanship. Data suggest an improvement in social skills and a reduction in the impact of the child’s behavior on the activities of the family. Primary Author and Speaker: Sarah A. Schoen Additional Authors and Speakers: Mim Ochsenbein

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations. With the growing prevalence of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a prevailing symptom limiting their occupation is deficits in social competence. It is vital that OTs advance their use of evidence-based strategies to foster social skills development. This research examines the effectiveness of an OT group model, incorporating both self-regulation activities and social skills training to improve the social competence of children with ASD. Primary Author and Speaker: Orley Ann Templeton Additional Authors and Speakers: Lori A. Charney, Kelsey Hadsall, Randi Huffman, Robert Kennedy, Mariah Laubach, David Lutchko, Callie O'Donovan, Kristen Ritter, and Carmelina Tringali

Social participation in schools is critical to student academic and psychosocial outcomes. Neurodivergent students, however, often experience environmental barriers to social participation, such as lack of awareness and negative attitudes among peers and school staff, including teachers. Although authentic social participation is composed of dynamic interactions between a person and the external environments, occupational therapy’s role in addressing student social participation primarily focuses on internal social characteristics. Barriers within school environments often remain unaddressed, with no clear role for occupational therapy practitioners. We advocate an expansion of occupational therapy’s role to address school environments, especially the social, physical, and policy aspects, to promote social participation and inclusion. We also discuss the need for change and present a framework guiding intervention in school environments.

Frequency of family meals (FMs) is associated with favorable child outcomes; however, no study to date has examined the relationship between frequency of FMs and outcomes for children with disabilities. Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health for children with disabilities (N = 4,336) were used. Logistic regression for each dependent variable was completed using frequency of FMs and covariates of age, gender, race, family structure, and poverty level. Each day per week increase in the frequency of FMs increased the likelihood for positive social skills (odds ratio [OR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01, 1.19]) and engagement in school (OR = 1.09, 95% CI [1.02, 1.16]). Frequency of FMs was not associated with problematic social behaviors or parental aggravation with child. Our findings suggest that children with disabilities whose families participate in frequent FMs have a greater likelihood of positive social and family health outcomes.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive disability and social skills in an acute care adult inpatient psychiatric population (n = 55). Method. Independent ratings of patient’s social skills were made during a semistructured interview using the Social Interaction Test (SIT), followed by measurement of cognitive disability using the revised Allen Cognitive Level Test (ACL-90). Reliability of the assessments was established. Results. Significant correlations were found between the ACL-90 and SIT scores: patients with greater cognitive disability had poorer social skills. ACL-90 scores were not related to gender or diagnosis. A gender difference was found for SIT scores with women having better social skills than men. Conclusion. These findings suggest there is a relationship between cognitive disability and social skills in adult psychiatric inpatients. Implications for occupational therapy treatment include better integration of the grading of the cognitive and social requirements of tasks to achieve optimal functioning.