Allen, I too like the problem-solving approach that's described. I think making it real and concrete allows a person with social skill deficits to get a better handle on the specific skill that's being taught. Abstractions can just serve to confuse matters further.
Fran, speaking from the "insider's" perspective, this approach really works. Over my lifetime I have learned social skills and interactions the way many learn another language. Learning from mistakes is very productive, because you have a real situation in your mind that you can refer to and work with, which more than anything else can help us to "get it".
As it so happens, I am right now trying to figure out a social blunder I just made. I came in from work and husband, who has been home alone with the babies all day, just unloaded to me about something unpleasant that happened with his day. I was trying to get into "sympathetic face and listening posture", but I'm really hungry and have a headache, so I think I didn't do it right. Now husband's feelings are hurt because he thinks I don't care about his frustration. I do care, but I lose my ability to be properly social when I have other sensory issues on the go as well.
Sometimes the role-play is as far as one can go. However, if it smooths social interactions, then maybe it's enough.
Very interesting. Now I need to figure out what I did wrong with my face so that I can make things better with husband. Onward!
