Purpose: Cognitive-behavioral social skills training (CBSST) is an effective treatment for adults and adolescents with social communication deficits. No study, however, has investigated its impact on the self-perception of social skills in elementary-aged children within a speech therapy setting. Methods: Four children with mild-moderate social communication deficits participated in this single case design ABA study. There were three baseline, eight intervention, and three withdrawal sessions. Participants rated their social communication skills using a Likert scale at the beginning of each session. The intervention consisted of the CBT component of CBSST, focused on the participants’ identified areas of need. Results: Within and between condition analyses revealed an increase in self-perception measures for three out of four participants. Pre- and post-study ratings by the parents revealed an increase in social skills for all four participants. Ratings for all participants remained higher during withdrawal, which may indicate long-term adaptations. Conclusion: Overall, CBSST, particularly the CBT component, is a successful, cost-effective treatment that can be used within the speech therapy setting. The primary dependent outcome measure was based on self-ratings, which may have impacted procedural fidelity. Future studies should consider using other means of measurement, such as additional adult ratings, direct systematic observation, or fMRI.
