Previous research on the components of the Social Thinking (ST) methodology has shown positive, but preliminary results. One treatment framework within the ST methodology found in both schools and clinics is called Social Behavior Mapping (SBM). While SBM was studied as part of an intervention package, no research to date has measured the effectiveness of SBM as a standalone intervention. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the effectiveness of using SBM as a teaching framework for increasing perspective taking and metacognitive abilities in adolescents with social learning challenges. Four adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) participated in this multiple baseline across participants design for a total of eight treatment sessions. Data included both continuous and pre and post measures, and social validity surveys from subjects and parents. The results indicated an increased perspective taking ability in two subjects, with one subject also showing significant increases in metacognitive ability. The remaining two subjects saw varying results, with behavior as a factor in their performance. Clinical implications for the use of SBM with different types of learners is discussed.
Keywords: ADHD, autism, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, social cognition, social skills, Social Behavior Mapping, Social Thinking, Theory of Mind
