The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a procedure involving systematic withdrawal of stimulus prompts and tangible reinforcers on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of eye contact and gaze following for two children with ASD in China. Two boys with ASD (5–6 years of age) participated. A concurrent multiple probe design across behaviors and participants was used. Results indicate that the procedure effectively established eye contact and gaze following for both children. Generalization to new instructors occurred in the free play setting, and the acquired behaviors were maintained for 1 month following training. Eye contact was maintained with social consequences for one child; the other child required tokens along with social consequences to maintain eye contact. Social consequences were sufficient to maintain gaze following for both children.

Social problem-solving (SPS) is a core component of social-emotional learning (SEL) that integrates cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes essential for adaptive social functioning. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience persistent difficulties in these domains, highlighting the need for effective interventions. This meta-analysis quantitatively synthesized evidence on the effectiveness of SPS interventions for children with ASD. Nineteen group-design studies involving 741 participants met inclusion criteria. Using random-effects models, the pooled results revealed a significant, moderate overall effect on SPS competence (Cohen’s d = 0.53, 95% CI [0.15, 1.01], p < 0.05). Subgroup analyses further indicated that teacher-led and school-based implementations produced stronger effects than researcher-led interventions in non-school contexts, underscoring the importance of ecological validity. SPS interventions also generated moderate-to-large improvements in related SEL domains, including social skills, emotion recognition, theory of mind, and executive function. These findings support SPS as a pivotal mechanism for promoting social-emotional development in children with ASD. Future research should employ more rigorous designs, report implementation fidelity, and examine the sustainability of teacher-led interventions within naturalistic school settings.