When It Is Used
SICS is used during live or recorded preschool play and other natural communication contexts when a practitioner needs a rapid baseline or treatment-progress observation.
Social Interactive Coding System (SICS)
Social Interactive Coding System (SICS) is an observational coding system for speech-language pathologists, child-language clinicians, and clinical researchers. It helps practitioners record preschool social-interaction events such as initiations, responses, conversational turns, partners, and context labels so they can review a measurable baseline and compare repeated observations over time.
Start the sample observation and try coding a few fictional interaction events.
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Tool guide
Learn more about this tool
Use this background section to understand when the tool fits, how practitioners use it, and what to consider before sharing it with clients.
What It Captures
The tool captures coded social-interaction events, context/play labels, communication partners, observation duration, and repeated-observation comparisons.
Relevant Limits
SICS summarizes observed events. It does not infer intent, add unsupported codes, diagnose, or generate intervention steps.
Can the child use SICS directly?
No. SICS is practitioner-administered observation coding; the child participates naturally in the observed context.
Can SICS compare treatment progress over time?
Yes. Repeated observations can be compared when context, duration, and coding are comparable and clearly labeled.
What happens if an observation is interrupted?
Interrupted observations preserve coded events and elapsed duration so the practitioner can judge comparability.
What is saved when I save the demo?
The SICS tool and reusable observation configuration are saved. Fictional sample events, counts, notes, and child data are not saved as real client records.