Early Intervention Strategies: Leveraging Sociocognitive Development for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Dear Colleagues,

Sociocognitive development refers to the process by which individuals acquire, understand, and apply the knowledge and skills that are necessary to interact effectively with others and to understand and manage their own mental processes. Sociocognitive development can be explained by the interaction of personal (biological) factors, environmental influences, and behaviour, highlighting the importance of observational learning, reinforcement, self-regulation, and the perception of personal efficacy.

Signs of sociocognitive development can be found from the first months of life. Sociocognitive development is the precursor to communication and language development and is fundamental for the individual to develop the metacognitive abilities that are necessary to interpret basic emotional signals (facial and body expressions, gaze, etc.) and the process of symbolisation. As a precursor to the development of communication and language, knowledge of how sociocognitive development occurs prior to the emergence of language can help detect certain developmental deviations or alterations that cascade into more serious disorders. Disorders or delays in the development of these skills are associated with the later onset of symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorders or language disorders. This Special Issue welcomes studies related to the assessment of early sociocognitive skills and intervention strategies for their development, as well as clinical trials, systematic reviews, and theoretical reviews.

Prof. Dr. Francisco Alcantud-Marín
Dr. Yurena Alonso-Esteban
Guest Editors

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