CIO provides social skills instruction to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. This service is person centered and provided in groups and in an individualized based format. CIO organizes groups for preschool age children, elementary school age children, middle school age children, high school age children, college students, and adults. Instruction will target multiple skill areas necessary to improve the individuals social aptitude in order to enhance their quality of life. Group instruction is structured and integrated with typically developing peers. The social skills program is offered in Santa Barbara and throughout Ventura County, and the San Fernando Valley.

CIO is vendored to provide this service through the TCRC and NLACRC.

    CIO utilizes a behavior analytic approach to teaching social skills. As such, session strategies will include the use of behavior analytic principles demonstrated through the Incidental Teaching approach (Hart & Risley, 1975).

    This is a process where children learn skills/behaviors in a naturally occurring adult-child interaction. This approach can be used for verbal and non-verbal individuals. The instructor needs to identify the opportunity when the incidental teaching approach can be applied. The basis for beginning this approach is dependent upon the child’s requesting behavior, i.e. reaching for a toy/game piece, attempting to open a container, asking for a specific train, and so forth.

Social Impairments Targeted

Through our services, multiple social skills deficits are targeted.

Skills Targeted: joint attention, theory of mind, social referencing, interpersonal skills, emotional affect, imitation, waiting, identifying natural social cues, reciprocating social communication and interactions (turn taking), initiating and maintaining social communication, and making positive connections with family and  peers.