Alt text on BCH Logo
brief

Social Skill Services for Adults

Ages 18 - 24 Years

Young adults with heart defects sometimes need some help developing their social skills. Intervention can help young adults to forge and maintain strong relationships, to navigate through daily social interactions with confidence, and to find and join a community.

2 min read
Share:

Help through Schools

In the United States, young adults (ages 18-21) with disabilities sometimes qualify for Special Education. Special Education services can teach and support social skills. 

Special Education services that can support social development include:

  • Occupational Therapy (OT)

  • Speech and Language Therapy

  • Behavior support with a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA)

  • Counseling with a psychologist or social worker

  • The help of an aide

  • Social skills groups

  • Home services

  • Supervised lunch or recess activities

  • Placement in a therapeutic classroom or school

If a family is worried about social skills and do not believe the school is meeting their adult child's needs, they should request an IEP meeting and explain their concerns.

Psychotherapy

Many therapists are experts in helping young people to understand and develop social interactions.  Therapists can be psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, or mental health counselors. There are many different types of therapy, and individuals should find a therapist who is a good fit with their values and goals.

Types of therapy that can help young adults include:

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Exposure Therapy (for social phobias)

  • Family Therapy

  • Group Therapy

  • Parent Guidance (for young people with intellectual disabilities)

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

  • Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Families can ask their medical or developmental care team to refer them to an appropriate therapist and type of therapy. Many therapists accept medical insurance.

Speech and Language Therapy

Social challenges are often closely related to language problems. Speech and Language Pathologists are often helpful in teaching young adults social skills.

SLPs can help adults build social skills by:

  • teaching them "pragmatics": the social and practical side of language

  • helping them to start, maintain, and leave conversations

  • teaching norms of interaction in different contexts

  • helping them to understand and react appropriately to what others are saying

  • helping them to communicate in a way other people understand

Young adults can receive speech and language therapy at school, in a hospital, or in a clinic. Families should ask their school team and their doctor about options for speech and language therapy in their area.

Social Skills for Overall Wellbeing

Social supports are important for nearly all people, and are particularly vital for people with chronic illnesses.

Developing strong social skills helps young people to develop relationships that substantially improve their quality of life.

This content was reviewed by a psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital.

Families local to Boston can find support for social development through the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program. Click here for more information:

Ferguson, M., & Kovacs, A. H. (2016). An integrated adult congenital heart disease psychology service. Congenital heart disease, 11(5), 444-451.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/chd.12331?casa_token=sFhHAydtb08AAAAA%3AOqPnvNVyVf7chcwGujlAvVuRHBtuyuz7xL8Caio08v0HOICSJyYY06dqR0lGkPOlwBZECtl15ZYh
John, A. S., Jackson, J. L., Moons, P., Uzark, K., Mackie, A. S., Timmins, S., ... & Gurvitz, M. (2022). Advances in managing transition to adulthood for adolescents with congenital heart disease: a practical approach to transition program design: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association, 11(7), e025278.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.122.025278
Kovacs, A. H., & Bellinger, D. C. (2021). Neurocognitive and psychosocial outcomes in adult congenital heart disease: a lifespan approach. Heart, 107(2), 159-167.https://www.proquest.com/docview/2471972691?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals
Kovacs, A. H., Sears, S. F., & Saidi, A. S. (2005). Biopsychosocial experiences of adults with congenital heart disease: review of the literature. American heart journal, 150(2), 193-201.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000287030400537X?casa_token=YrMWHXC_ZK0AAAAA:sffl0Ur6lIxXAFiRlEJfqOJ5xx_KRoc64t_JAlvxKOSyZ-giucFIz-DP_sg1Kt422_XQx1bL
Kovacs, A. H., Brouillette, J., Ibeziako, P., Jackson, J. L., Kasparian, N. A., Kim, Y. Y., ... & American Heart Association Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young; and Stroke Council. (2022). Psychological outcomes and interventions for individuals with congenital heart disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 15(8), e000110.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HCQ.0000000000000110
Kovacs, A. H., Grace, S. L., Kentner, A. C., Nolan, R. P., Silversides, C. K., & Irvine, M. J. (2018). Feasibility and outcomes in a pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychosocial intervention for adults with congenital heart disease. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 34(6), 766-773.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0828282X1830206X
Kovacs, A. H., Bandyopadhyay, M., Grace, S. L., Kentner, A. C., Nolan, R. P., Silversides, C. K., & Irvine, M. J. (2015). Adult Congenital Heart Disease-Coping And REsilience (ACHD-CARE): Rationale and methodology of a pilot randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 45, 385-393.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1551714415301130
Melis, M. T. V., Apolônio, A. L. M., Santos, L. D. C., Ferrari, D. V., & Abramides, D. V. M. (2022). Social skills training in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: students' perception. Revista CEFAC, 24, e8822.https://www.scielo.br/j/rcefac/a/fD4fwhhBV8j3qkmwL55gGRr/?format=html&lang=en
Wilson, W. M., Smith-Parrish, M., Marino, B. S., & Kovacs, A. H. (2015). Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial outcomes across the congenital heart disease lifespan. Progress in Pediatric cardiology, 39(2), 113-118.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1058981315000442?casa_token=ru7RE4f_JhUAAAAA:-oHlPocQcXtDYweeNkXdUTDVLuxqP8q_iSWohq-AxU_8xhHtiyWhlt4Job70YlekQLF8ighW
Related Resources

Want to Learn More?

Look below for related resources, search resources by topic, or explore one of our custom guides.

Don't see what you're looking for? Let us know what you want to learn! We will try to add content to respond to your needs. Email CNPschedulingandquestions@childrens.harvard.edu

© 2025 All rights reserved