Teaching Social Interaction Skills Using the Cool versus Not Cool Procedure | BCBA CEU | Learning | 0.5 Hour

 In this presentation, Dr. Justin B. Leaf reviews a study on teaching social interaction skills using the Cool Versus Not Cool procedure. The speaker emphasizes that teaching meaningful, socially significant behavior is central to the Autism Partnership method and addresses common resistance to teaching social skills, including claims that autistic individuals are “not social,” competing academic or language priorities, limited empirically evaluated curricula, and the difficulty of teaching nuanced social behavior. The speaker outlines long-term risks of social skill deficits, including lower self-esteem, isolation, depression, bullying, and increased suicide risk.

The study focused on social interaction skills within a broader social skills taxonomy. Three participants (Sarah, Brady, and Kennedy) were taught compromising, sharing, and assertiveness, respectively. Skills were selected through interviews and review of the taxonomy. The Cool Versus Not Cool procedure involved teacher demonstrations of appropriate and inappropriate behavior, learner discrimination (“cool” or “not cool”), explanation of why, and role-play practice. A multiple baseline design across skills was used.

Results showed all participants reached mastery within a small number of sessions and maintained skills. Participants discriminated demonstrations and explained why at rates above 90%. The speaker concludes the procedure was effective and highlights the importance of the “not cool” demonstration in teaching nuanced social behavior.