A Replication and Extension of the PEERS® for Young Adults Social Skills Intervention: Examining Effects on Social Skills and Social Anxiety in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Young adults with ASD experience difficulties with social skills, empathy, loneliness, and social anxiety. One intervention, PEERS®for Young Adults, shows promise in addressing these challenges. The present study replicated and extended the original study by recruiting a larger sample (N = 56), employing a gold standard ASD assessment tool, and examining changes in social anxiety utilizing a randomized controlled trial design. Results indicated improvements in social responsiveness (SSIS-RS SS, p = .006 and CPB, p = .005; SRS, p = .004), PEERS® knowledge (TYASSK, p = .001), empathy (EQ, p = .044), direct interactions (QSQ-YA, p = .059), and social anxiety (LSAS-SR, p = .019). Results have important implications for the utility of the intervention for individuals with ASD.

Brief Report: Does Gender Matter in Intervention for ASD? Examining the Impact of the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention on Social Behavior Among Females with ASD

“…Participants were male and female adolescents and young adults with high-functioning ASD, recruited from local intervention agencies, community support groups, and an in-house waiting list at an Autism Clinic at a private midwestern university. Existing relationships with these organizations facilitated recruitment, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained prior to advertisements and data collection (McVey et al, 2016; Schohl et al, 2014). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.…”

“…Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Please see Schohl et al (2014) and McVey et al (2016) for details on recruitment, exclusionary criteria, and random assignment. Parents or primary caregivers for the adolescents completed a demographic form that asked them to report the gender of their adolescent; young adults completed a complementary form that asked them to report their own gender.…”

“…In addition, the PEERS ® for Young Adults intervention includes four modules pertaining to dating etiquette, which include expressing romantic interest, the steps leading up to and including a date, and general guidelines for dating. Further description of the administration of the interventions can be found in Schohl et al (2014) for PEERS ® and McVey et al (2016) for PEERS ® for Young Adults . Session content of the interventions can be found in Table 1 for PEERS ® and Table 2 for PEERS ® for Young Adults .…”

“…This pattern likely results in greater isolation among females with ASD that extends into young adulthood and beyond. Young adulthood represents a time of continued social development and maintenance of friendships, romantic relationships, and career-related social interaction that is often difficult for individuals with ASD to navigate (McVey et al, 2016). Nonetheless, while research demonstrates that females with ASD present with social skills challenges, whether to a greater or lesser extent than males, it remains unknown how females with ASD respond to social skills intervention, compared to males.…”

“…The developers have recently published a young adult version, PEERS ® for Young Adults , which has been found to be efficacious as well (Gantman, Kapp, Orenski, & Laugeson 2012; Laugeson, Gantman, Kapp, Orenski, & Ellingsen 2015; McVey et al, 2016). …”