ANALYZING PREDICTORS OF DAILY SOCIAL SKILL PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of play activities , teachers' predictions of children's sociability, and intervention fi delity variables on the level of interaction between three preschooler s with autism and their typical peers. Children participated in daily play activity groups of three, including one youngster with autism and two peers. Following a baseline condition, all children in the class learned to exchange a range of prosocial overtures, including shares, play organizers, and assistance. Teachers then implemented an individu al reinforcement contingency to maintain children's newly taught excha nges. Results indicated that social reciprocity and peer effort correl ated most highly with target children's level of social interaction. C onversely, teachers' choice of activity materials and predictions abou t sociability did not correlate with children's interactions during ei ther experimental phase. These findings are discussed with regard to t heir implications for future social skills research and intervention.