More than 3.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder (autism speaks 2014). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a general term for a group of complex disorders that affect neurodevelopment. Social skills deficits are one of the three core impairments found in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and are often considered to be the primary feature of ASDs (Kanner, 1943; Sevin, Knight, & Braud, 2007; Volkmar, Cohen, Bregman, Hooks, & Stevenson, 1989; Walters, Barrett, & Feinstein, 1990). The term “spectrum” from the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment that individuals with ASD can have. Many individuals with ASD vary in severity …show more content…
Studies such as the one done on the MESSY are used to investigate the advancement in research within the professions education and rehabilitation services, by advancing research on behavioral and cognitive functioning professionals are able to better understand and help individuals with neurological disorders much like ASD. Johnny L. Matson, Max Horvitz, Sara Mahan, and Jill Fodstad stated that the purpose of the experiment was to update the psychometrics of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters (MESSY) with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , specifically with respect to internal consistency, split-half reliability, and inter-rater reliability (Matson L. Johnny, Horvitz Max, Mahan Sara, Fodstad Jill; 2013 p.406). MESSY is able to measure the range of social skills for children between the ages of 2–18 years of age, by using a self- rating scale to rate the individual’s appropriate and inappropriate social behaviors (Matson L. Johnny, Horvitz Max, Mahan Sara, Fodstad Jill; 2013 …show more content…
Matson, Max Horvitz, Sara Mahan, and Jill Fodstad investigation was then completed and professionals such as those in the rehabilitation service are able to continue and pursue this ongoing research related to patterns of behavior of children with ASD and help set possible social growth goals for individuals with ASD. The MESSY helped develop children and demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency, as well as demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity Matson L. Johnny, Horvitz Max, Mahan Sara, Fodstad Jill; 2013