This article discusses the importance of supporting the development of empathy in individuals with ASD and provides information regarding strategies and resources.
Cognitive-communication skills interrelate with putting empathy into practice. The relationship between these skills and practices are especially important for individuals with autism. This relationship and strategies to give these individuals "the empathy advantage" are discussed.
Using evidence-based practices including scripts, cartoons, and role-playing, individuals are taught social competency skills such as empathy and problem-solving skills in this easy-to-read book.
A "Social Autopsy" is a strategy that can be effective with students who have challenges understanding the thoughts and feelings of others. The Social Autopsy strategy is a structured strategy to use after a social error has occurred. This strategy provides practice, feedback, and positive reinforcement and encourages active student participation in the planning process. An example and template of a social autopsy are included in Flipp the Switch.
Interoceptive awareness supports the ability to self-regulate, monitor and respond to emotional and physical states, and provides a foundation for multiple social competencies, including perspective taking and empathy. This book provides lessons designed to improve interoceptive awareness, and thus, support improved sense of empathy. This resource also includes the Interoceptive Awareness Interview, Assessment of Self-Regulation, and The Caregiver Questionnaire for Interoceptive Awareness.
This book provides small group lessons that can be used with students of all ages and cognitive abilities. Evidence based practices such as social narratives and visual supports are utilized to teach emotion recognition in self and others, perspective taking, and problem-solving skills. Activities, lessons, and resources are included.
This book provides photographs of teens demonstrating steps in social skills, including empathy, for use in instruction, role-playing, reviewing the skill steps with feedback, and generalization. In addition, there are specific instructions for individualizing and creating books to target specific social skills.
This book provides lessons and activities targeting skills that include assertiveness, empathy, self-regulation, and conflict management. Lessons are taught using a structured learning format utilizing the components of didactic instruction: modeling, role-playing, reviewing the skill, and practicing the skill. Examples of visual supports, cognitive picture rehearsals, and social narratives are included as well as reproducible charts, worksheets, and graphic organizers.
The Incredible 5 Point Scale is a method to "teach social and emotional information in a concrete, systematic, and non-judging way". Visual scales can be created with pictures, photos, and/or text and can be used to teach a variety of skills including self-advocacy, perspective taking, emotions, classroom rules, worrying, how other people think, words we use, and voice volume. This website provides resources, articles, and other information regarding the Incredible 5 Point Scale.