Social Skills Training as an Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Lagos State

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a structured social skills training programme for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Children with autism spectrum disorder frequently experience significant challenges in social communication, reciprocal interaction, and understanding social norms, which can limit their participation in family, school, and community life. This research employed a single-group pre-test and post-test experimental design across two autism support centres in Lagos Island and Ikeja, involving 55 children aged 5 to 12 years. The 14-week Social Stories-based intervention programme was delivered by trained developmental psychology practitioners. Social competence was assessed at baseline, midpoint, and post-intervention using the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition. Parents and teachers completed independent ratings to enhance assessment validity. Results indicate significant improvements in social awareness, social cognition, and social communication scores from baseline to post-intervention. Children aged 7 to 9 years demonstrated the greatest gains, suggesting a sensitive period for social skill acquisition within this programme context. Parent engagement during the intervention was positively correlated with generalisation of skills to home settings. The study recommends the expansion of social skills training programmes to public special education schools across Lagos State and the training of state educators in programme delivery. Keywords: social skills training, autism spectrum disorder, children, Lagos State, social responsiveness.