The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) was originally developed at UCLA by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, Founder and Director of the UCLA PEERS® Clinic, and Dr. Fred Frankel in 2005 and has expanded to locations across the United States and the world. PEERS® is a manualized, social skills training intervention for youth with social challenges. It has a strong evidence-base for use with adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, but is also appropriate for preschoolers, adolescents, and young adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other socioemotional problems.
PEERS® for Preschoolers
Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for Preschoolers is a 16-week empirically-supported, parent-assisted social skills treatment program for young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or other social challenges who have difficulty in their peer interactions and friendships.
During each group session, children are taught fundamental play and social skills through a live puppet show, followed by a range of games and activities designed to rehearse newly learned skills and reinforce skill development in a naturalistic setting.
Parents simultaneously attend separate sessions and are taught how to help their children make and keep friends by acting as social coaches outside of the group. To maximize parent training, each session includes parent-coached play, consisting of mock play dates between group members, during which parents receive performance feedback from the treatment team on their social coaching.
Topics of instruction include how to:
- Listen and follow directions
- Ask for and use friends’ names
- Greet friends
- Share and give turns to friends
- Ask for turns during play
- Keep cool when upset during play
- Be flexible, cooperative during play
- Be a good sport
- Sustain play through commenting
- Ask friends to play
- Join ongoing game play
- Transition to new play activities
- Ask for help and help friends
- Maintain appropriate body boundaries
- Use good volume control when talking to friends
PEERS® for Adolescents
Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is a 16-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated adolescents in middle school or high school who are interested in learning ways to help them make and keep friends. During each group session adolescents are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills in session during socialization activities (e.g. playing sports, board games, etc.).
Parents are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends by providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments.
Topics of Instruction:
- How to use appropriate conversational skills
- How to choose appropriate friends
- How to appropriately use electronic forms of communication
- How to appropriately use humor and assess humor feedback
- How to start, enter and exit conversations between peers
- How to organize successful get-togethers with friends
- How to be a good sport when playing games/sports with friends
- How to handle arguments and disagreements with friends and in relationships
- How to handle rejection, teasing, bullying, rumors/gossip, and cyber bullying
- How to change a bad reputation
PEERS for Adolescents Treatment Manual: This social skills manual assists teens in making and keeping friends. To learn more about the treatment or to purchase manual, click here.
Parent-Trade Book: Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson’s innovate book, “The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults” provides parents and families with evidence-based tools for building friendships and relationships, and includes a companion DVD. To order the book, click on the link.
Social Skills Role Play Videos: The UCLA PEERS Clinic recently released over 100 social skills role play videos. These videos are excellent resources for teens to learn basic rules of social etiquette. View the videos, here.
PEERS® for Young Adults
Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for Young Adults (Ages 18-35) is a 16-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated young adults, who are interested in learning skills to make and keep friends and develop romantic relationships. During each group session, young adults are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills.
Young adults must attend each session with a social coach (i.e., parent, family member, adult sibling, life coach, job coach, peer mentor, etc.). Social coaches are taught how to assist young adults in making and keeping friends by providing feedback during weekly socialization homework assignments.
Topics of Instruction:
How to use appropriate conversational skills
- How to choose appropriate friends
- How to appropriately use electronic forms of communication
- How to appropriately use humor and assess humor feedback
- How to start, enter, and exit conversations between peers
- How to organize successful get-togethers with friends
- How to develop romantic relationships and use appropriate dating etiquette
- How to handle arguments and disagreements with friends and in relationships
- How to handle rejection, teasing, bullying, and rumors/gossip
PEERS for Young Adults Manual: Dr. Laugeson’s newest book, “PEERS® for Young Adults: Social Skills Training for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Social Challenges” presents the first evidence-based group treatment program for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders and social challenges. To order the book, click on the link.
Parent-Trade Book: Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson’s innovate book, “The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults” provides parents and families with evidence-based tools for building friendships and relationships, and includes a companion DVD. To order the book, click on the link.
Social Skills Role Play Videos: The UCLA PEERS Clinic recently released over 100 social skills videos. These videos are excellent resources for teens to learn basic rules of social etiquette. View the videos, here.
UCLA PEERS® Facebook Page - more information on the UCLA PEERS® Clinic can be found at www.facebook.com/uclapeers.
Miles and I participated in the PEERS program
with his Speech and Occupational Therapists in a group setting.
He did really well with this program and learned a lot of
new skills by hands on participation.
After Miles graduated the program
Group hangouts were arranged
within the local community
Miles had a great time
hanging out with his new friends
His AWESOME therapists have yet again helped Miles
make great gains in relationship skills
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