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The Effects of a Modified PEERS Curriculum on Accurate and Novel Responding of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

Social skill training for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently targets skill accuracy. However, restricted and repetitive social behaviors are infrequently addressed. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a modified version of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) intervention for improving social skill accuracy as well as increasing novel responding in three children with ASD. The intervention was facilitated by graduate student researchers in a clinic-based setting, and targeted social skills included Two-way Conversation, Finding Similar Interests, and Starting a Conversation. A multiple baseline design across skills was utilized to evaluate the effects of the modified PEERS. Results demonstrated that the intervention was generally effective in improving skill accuracy across participants, as well as increasing novel responding in response to prompts delivered by both researchers and parents. The current study provides a model for modification of extant social skill training curricula to incorporate strategies that may address restricted and repetitive social behaviors in individuals with ASD.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah, 1721 Campus Center Dr. #3225, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Keith C. Radley

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Dr. #5025, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA

    Kate A. Helbig, Ashley N. Murphy, Morgan G. McCargo & Elizabeth L. Lown

Authors
  1. Keith C. Radley
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  2. Kate A. Helbig
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  3. Ashley N. Murphy
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  4. Morgan G. McCargo
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  5. Elizabeth L. Lown
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Contributions

KCR designed the study, supervised execution of the study, conducted data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. KAH assisted with the design of the study, facilitated intervention sessions, collected data, and collaborated in writing of the manuscript. ANM facilitated the intervention sessions, collected data, and collaborated in writing of the manuscript. MGM collected data and collaborated in writing of the manuscript. ELL collected data and collaborated in writing of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keith C. Radley.

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Conflicts of Interest

All authors of the study report that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in the current study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution and the national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. Prior to conducting the current study, Institutional Review Board approval was obtained from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Informed Consent

Informed consent and assent were obtained for all individual participants included in the study.

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Radley, K.C., Helbig, K.A., Murphy, A.N. et al. The Effects of a Modified PEERS Curriculum on Accurate and Novel Responding of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adv Neurodev Disord 2, 412–424 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-018-0077-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-018-0077-1

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