A replication and extension of the PEERS intervention: examining effects on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Kirsten A Schohl; Amy V Van Hecke; Audrey Meyer Carson; Bridget Dolan; Jeffrey Karst; Sheryl Stevens

doi:10.1007/s10803-013-1900-1

A replication and extension of the PEERS intervention: examining effects on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

J Autism Dev Disord. 2014 Mar;44(3):532-45. doi: 10.1007/s10803-013-1900-1.

Authors

Kirsten A Schohl¹, Amy V Van Hecke, Audrey Meyer Carson, Bridget Dolan, Jeffrey Karst, Sheryl Stevens

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology, Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53201-1881, USA, kirsten.schohl@mu.edu.

PMID: 23893101
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1900-1

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS: Laugeson et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 39(4):596-606, 2009). PEERS focuses on improving friendship quality and social skills among adolescents with higher-functioning ASD. 58 participants aged 11-16 years-old were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment or waitlist comparison group. Results revealed, in comparison to the waitlist group, that the experimental treatment group significantly improved their knowledge of PEERS concepts and friendship skills, increased in their amount of get-togethers, and decreased in their levels of social anxiety, core autistic symptoms, and problem behaviors from pre-to post-PEERS. This study provides the first independent replication and extension of the empirically-supported PEERS social skills intervention for adolescents with ASD.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / psychology
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / therapy*
Female
Humans
Male
Psychotherapy, Group / methods*
Social Behavior*
Treatment Outcome