Social Skills Groups

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Hi, Has anyone out there had any experience with social skills groups? I have an 8 yr old son who may soon have the opportunity to attend a social skills group for kids with AS diagnosis. He is high-functioning and has reasonable eye contact, and I am thinking that there may be others in the group who are more severely affected with AS. I am hoping that a group like this would develop his social skills but also help him in meeting similar people . . . but is there a chance it could make him feel "weirder" if it turns out that the group has kids with a lot bigger autistic issues? . . . or would that just make him feel like he could be helpful to others? Any experience or opinions welcome.

Oops . . . I posted this on the Parents page, but I probably should have put it in General so here goes:

Hi, Has anyone out there had any experience with social skills groups? I have an 8 yr old son who may soon have the opportunity to attend a social skills group for kids with AS diagnosis. He is high-functioning and has reasonable eye contact, and I am thinking that there may be others in the group who are more severely affected with AS. I am hoping that a group like this would develop his social skills but also help him in meeting similar people . . . but is there a chance it could make him feel "weirder" if it turns out that the group has kids with a lot bigger autistic issues? . . . or would that just make him feel like he could be helpful to others? Any experience or opinions welcome.

Just be careful what they teach your son. I went to one of these (albeit for adults, and it wasn't specifically for AS) and they tried to teach me how to be an NT.

Your son will just be taught he is defective if that is what they are teaching. I like Temple Grandin's advice. Take him along to a club based on his interest (if his interest is WAY out there, try one of his more social interests) and then let him interact based on the exchanging of information.

By all means the social skills groups are great for learning tact, and some theory of mind, and turn taking in conversation etc... but remember he isn't an NT, and if it seems like they are trying to make him one... the group is destined to fail for him.


As for "feeling weird" about being around "more autistic" kids... that is something you'll have to figure out by talking to your son. Just make sure you explain exactly what is going on and get his feedback.

Hi,
Where are you from? I ask because my 9 year old goes to a social skills group for aspergers kids, and he loves it.
Some kids are worse, some dont appear even to me to have anything different going on. Guess what J my son has only been going to this group for a couple of months now and has never once made a comment about any of the other kids being different, weird etc. J has reasonable eye contact and will talk your ears off when you get him started. Oh by the way we are in Melbourne, Australia.

annie2 -- what parents page?

regarding your son's opportunity -- my 8 1/2-yr-old son just started in a social skills group two weeks ago. It is an 'Asperger's-specific' group, so the boys are pretty comfortable with eachother --

I'm not sure if it's helping my son at all w/ social skills, but anything that gives him a 'better chance', ya know?
To tell ya the truth, my son is the sweetest kid you'd ever want to meet, but he has problems expressing his thoughts & feelings. If this social skills group helps, great.

I'm wary of those groups. I avoid them like the plague. Nobody is going to try to turn me into an NT.