About PEERS® Social Skills Programs - The Social Skills Collective

Speech Language Pathologist

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is a world-renowned, evidence-based social skills program, developed at UCLA by Elizabeth Laugeson. PEERS® has a strong evidence base for use with adolescents and young adults with Autism but is also appropriate for preschoolers, adolescents and young adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression and other socio-emotional challenges.

The PEERS® social skills programs are based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and focus on teaching social skills through a structured curriculum. They utilise strategies such as direct didactic instruction, role-play to learn new skills, and increased awareness and management of cognitions. The innovation of PEERS® to other programmes is the intensive training of parents/carers, use of the Socratic method, provision of real-world opportunities to develop skills and gain feedback in naturalistic settings, use of integrated role play/demonstration, behaviour rehearsal and experiential learning.

PEERS® groups focus on obtaining core social skills such as developing and maintaining friendships, improving conversational skills, entering and exiting group interactions, and handling teasing as well as losing when playing competitive games. Studies have demonstrated significant improvements in social ability following participation in the PEERS® intervention.

Research has shown that the PEERS® program can be effective in improving social skills, reducing social anxiety, and increasing overall social functioning in individuals with Autism. However, it is important to note that every individual with Autism is unique, and the effectiveness of the program may vary depending on the individual’s specific needs and challenges.