An independent program evaluation of the Secret Agents Society for youth with ASD

Children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have severe impairments in social
competency, which can negatively impact quality of life, academic achievement, peer acceptance, and
mental health. Social skills interventions aim to teach youth the social interaction skills necessary to
build and foster relationships with others, and are critical for addressing bullying and associated mental
health problems in youth with ASD. The Geneva Centre for Autism, one of the leading service
providers in Canada, is implementing a multi-component evidence-based social skills training group
(SSTG), the Secret Agents Society, which includes children, parents, and teachers. The proposed
research will evaluate this intervention by collecting data on treatment effectiveness using a pre-postfollow-
up design with children with ASD (8-12 years) who are struggling with social skills. This
research will benefit the Geneva Centre by evaluating the intervention and ensuring that the program is
effective for its participants.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jonathan Weiss

Student:

Partner:

Geneva Centre for Autism

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

York University

Program: