A Distance-Delivered Social Skills Program for Young Adults with Williams Syndrome: Evaluating Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy.
Marisa H Fisher, Rebecca R Kammes, Rhonda S Black and 2 others
PMID 35575839WHAT IT FOUND
Parents reported significant improvements in social skills for young adults with Williams Syndrome after a distance-delivered program, and participants gained knowledge.
However, participants did not rate their own social skills as improved, and the study was a small pilot with no long-term follow-up.
Key findings
01Parents reported significantly higher social skills scores for adults with Williams Syndrome after the intervention, with a large effect size, while the adults' own self-ratings did not change significantly.
02Participants showed significant improvements in social skills knowledge scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention.
03The distance-delivered program was rated as highly acceptable and feasible by facilitators, participants, and parents, with high attendance and homework completion rates and no dropouts.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a small pilot with only 24 participants, limiting the generalizability of the findings. There was no long-term follow-up to determine if the improvements in social skills and knowledge were maintained. Participants were recruited from the Williams Syndrome Association, which may mean they had more social support and community engagement than the general population with Williams Syndrome. The study relied on parent and self-report measures rather than direct observation of social skills in naturalistic settings. The Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) was developed and validated for individuals under 18, raising questions about its sensitivity in adults. The intervention was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted opportunities for participants to practice skills in community settings.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Williams Syndrome Association.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the program definitively improves social skills in young adults with Williams Syndrome. The study was a small pilot, and while parents reported improvement, the participants themselves did not rate their social skills as improved. The lack of direct observation and long-term follow-up means the real-world impact and maintenance of any gains are unknown.