Study suggests soap-opera therapy for autistic kids

If you're looking for wide-ranging displays of emotions, in the most extreme and accessible presentations, soap operas would seem a pretty good place to look. Grief, joy, jealousy, doubt, anxiety, fear, love, hate -- you can see all that in just one segment between commercials, with the expressive volume turned way up. Could kids who have trouble understanding and recognizing emotions benefit from examining the performances of soap stars? A recent study in the U.K. suggests that they just might. The research, which was published in Psychiatric Bulletin, the journal of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, followed the case of a 14-year-old boy with autism who was in trouble at school and uncommunicative in therapy. According to a report on Scotsman.com,

"In an attempt to foster engagement and knowing that he was a soap opera fan ... the therapist prescribed six sessions of watching recent episodes of EastEnders and Coronation Street and then describing the emotions of key characters. 'This boy could often become animated when discussing favourite characters. His eye contact and spontaneous speech improved significantly ... As a result, he became less isolated than before and his school noted improvements in his class participation and a significant reduction in his imitative behaviours. Consequently, he was discharged from child mental health services with mutual agreement of all parties.'"

That doesn't mean you should keep your child out of school for an all-day soap suds marathon: The researcher also notes that the positive effects of soap therapy must be balanced against the dangers of too much TV. But with a little creativity, television can be used to target many of the special needs your child may have -- whether for understanding emotions or social skills, being motivated to read or do chores, or having together time with a parent. Read "Five Ways to Use TV for Good" for some ideas on turning tube time into learning, growing, and connecting time.

• More on autism
• More learning strategies