The The Efficacy of a Training Program Based on Executive Function Skills in Developing Language Competence of Students with ASD

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the efficacy of a training program based on executive function skills in developing language competence for Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study employed the quasi-experimental approach. The study sample comprised 48 male and female students with autism disorder from mentally handicapped institutes in Saudi Arabia, during the academic year 2021-2022. The validity and reliability of the study tools were verified. The researcher designed a language competence scale for training on the development of executive function skills for such students, and concluded that there are differences with statistical significance at the function level (a ≤ 0.05) between the total means of students' grades on the scale of the two groups, experimental group (using the program) and the control counterpart (which uses the regular one). It also revealed differences with statistical significance between grade means of the two groups, the experimental and the control, in the two domains of language competence (receptive and expressive) that might be attributed to the training program variable. Furthermore, there were no differences with statistical significance between means of students' grades of the two groups: the experimental and control on the total post-application scale of language competence which might be attributed to gender variable. The researcher recommended employing an executive function skills program for all students with disabilities.