“Sharing my life” and “learning about other people”: Exploring the feasibility of SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a social skills group training program for autistic youth, in an Australian high school setting

This study investigated the feasibility of adapting SCHOOL KONTAKT™, a manualised social skills group training program, to an Australian high school setting, exploring its potential to improve social participation outcomes for autistic high school students. SCHOOL KONTAKT™ was delivered twice per week at four Western Australian high schools, with a total of 69 students participating in the 16-week program. A pre-test, post-test design evaluated changes in participants’ progress toward their desired social goals, social skills, social anxiety, and perceived friendships. Parents and teachers completed surveys focused on emotion regulation and social responsiveness, and students and school staff involved in the program participated in focus groups after the intervention to share their experiences. The students’ individual social goals were evaluated at an additional assessment point, approximately three months after the program ended. Findings suggest the preliminary efficacy of SCHOOL KONTAKT™ in supporting students to achieve their individual social goals, with parents and teachers also identifying changes in students’ social responsiveness. The results suggest that SCHOOL KONTAKT™ is a feasible social skills group training program in an Australian high school setting, with a larger scale study indicated to confirm the outcomes of the current study. • Overall, participants’ experiences of SCHOOL KONTAKT™ were positive. • Students made significant progress towards their own social goals. • Students’ social anxiety and knowledge of social skills significantly improved. • It is feasible to implement SCHOOL KONTAKT™ in Australian high schools.