Social Skills and Adults with IDD

I remember my first days and weeks as a new BCBA working at a day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Scanning the room, thinking about the 'lack' of interaction, void of structured activities, absences of back and forth conversations.

It's been a minute or 6 years, I tend to observe differnently now. It's not that different than a coffee shop, to see 10 or more people all doing their own thing in the same space. I see people sitting together of their choice (even though it was not their choice to wake up and come to an arbitrary location every day).

I still read articles to get better at my craft and support individuals with making friends that they have chosen, communicate and honor each other's boundaries. Share joy.

Somethings I think about when I read these articles:

Who does the skill benefit?

What are essential components of the skill and what is nonessential?

Nonessentials: eye contact, back and forth conversations, identifying other people's topic of interest, reading someone's emotions (this isn't a terrible skill, its just overrated, its okay to be direct), indirect communication

What is is the power dynamic in the room?

Often as caregivers, our environments primarily function to make us comfortable. Things are organized the way we like, the schedule benefits us.

How much are we asking a people to be flexible? How much are we being flexible?

Safety is most important. There is no flexibility. Everything else, we can adjust (time, foods, games, peers, setting, noise).