Do social skills interventions positively influence mood in children and young people with autism? A systematic review

Depression and anxiety in children and young people with autism spectrum disorders (CYP with ASD) are relatively prevalent. Social skills deficits may be risk factors for the development of mood difficulties. This systematic review examined existing literature to establish whether social skills interventions positively influence mood in CYP with ASD. The majority of studies found that interventions improved mood, although there was heterogeneity in interventions and outcome reporting. As there is evidence that social skills interventions positively influence mood, future research should investigate the preventative effect of these interventions in moderating progression to clinical depression and anxiety in this population.