Teaching Social Skills to Children and Adolescents With Visual Impairments: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: Social skills are acquired primarily through imitation using the visual system. As a result, people with visual impairments may experience difficulties in this area at any age, which can have a major effect on their social participation and on their quality of life. The objective of this study was to systematically review the effects of targeted interventions on social skills in children and adolescents with visual impairments. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using databases Web of Science, OvidSP, EBSCOhost, Sage Journals. The scientific quality of the studies was assessed using two scales dedicated to single case studies and group studies, respectively. Results: Out of 1866 hits, 32 studies were included in the review. A total of 397 children and adolescents with visual impairments (aged 3–20 years) received different types of social skills interventions. “Peer relation” interventions were most often studied ( n = 21) and effects were mainly analyzed using observational tools. The scientific quality rating scales indicated moderate (for group studies) to high general quality (for single case studies). Overall, most studies reported improvements in targeted social skills. Discussion: Given the heterogeneity of the studies considered, both in content and in the measures used to document effects, these results should be interpreted with caution. Consequently, it is not clear which interventions should be recommended for use in practice such as in special education. Implications for Practitioners: Given the high rate of social skills difficulties reported in this population and the effect of these difficulties on all stages of development, it seems particularly relevant for practitioners to integrate social skills assessment and explicit teaching into intervention programs. In the future, researchers, stakeholders, and practitioners should work together to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents with visual impairments.

Challenges Visually Impaired Students Face in Acquiring Fashion Skills: A Case Study among Visually Impaired Training Institutions in Ghana

“…These challenges encompass various aspects, such as barriers to enrolment in fashion schools, negative perceptions about the abilities of visually impaired individuals in fashion, lack of specialised sewing machines, and limited prior experiences with fashion design. This finding is consistent with previous studies conducted by Qaiser, Khan, and Tariq (2021) and Caron et al (2023), which identified challenges in design thinking and skills acquisition among visually impaired individuals. Qaiser et al, (2021) highlighted obstacles to web accessibility, while Caron et al (2023) emphasised challenges in skills acquisition.…”

“…This finding is consistent with previous studies conducted by Qaiser, Khan, and Tariq (2021) and Caron et al (2023), which identified challenges in design thinking and skills acquisition among visually impaired individuals. Qaiser et al, (2021) highlighted obstacles to web accessibility, while Caron et al (2023) emphasised challenges in skills acquisition.…”

Understanding School Anxiety in Italian Adolescence through an Artificial Neural Network: Influence of Social Skills and Coping Strategies

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On “Teaching Social Skills to Children and Adolescents With Visual Impairments: A Systematic Review”

“…In the recent JVIB article entitled, "Teaching social skills to children and adolescents with visual impairments: A systematic review," Caron and colleagues presented a review of 32 studies of social skills instruction for children who are blind or have low vision, conducted across eight countries between 1983 and 2020 (Caron et al, 2023). I came to this review article in a unique position, as both the director of research at the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and as a woman who has been totally blind since birth and grew up receiving itinerant instruction during the 1990s.…”