The Spotlight Program: An Integrative Approach to Teaching Social Pragmatics Using Dramatic Principles and Techniques

Effective techniques for social pragmatic development for adolescents with Asperger syndrome have been elusive in the existing body of research literature. Attempts to structure interventions that lead to effective generalization of skills beyond the clinical setting have been particularly inconclusive. This paper outlines the development of a novel theoretically-based, affectively-driven intervention: the Drama-based Social Pragmatic Intervention approach designed to address the concerns present in existing research. Theoretical principles as well as specific activities and basic curriculum structure are presented. Additionally, triumphs and challenges of a program that has successfully used this approach for several years are presented. Asperger syndrome is a form of autism in which individuals have average to above average intelligence, but display atypical social development. This disorder, along with autism in general, has shown a marked increase in incidence in recent years (YearginAllsop et al., 2003), with the most recent incidence rates estimated to be one in 150 children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Children with Asperger syndrome lack typical abilities in several social domains including social pragmatics, reciprocal interaction, theory of mind, and non-verbal cue use and recognition (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [4th ed.]). These deficits are associated with impairment in social-emotional functioning that can have substantially detrimental effects on social functioning, social development, and hence quality of life.