Journal Article

Effects of Social Skills Training for Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: a Randomized Controlled Trial of the Polish Adaptation of the PEERS® Intervention via Hybrid and In-Person Delivery

Wojaczek, Kinga, Laugeson, Elizabeth A, Płatos, Mateusz

2023

Overview

The study examined the efficacy of the Polish adaptation of the PEERS® curriculum for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Twenty-nine adolescents (aged 11–16) were randomized into a Treatment and a Waitlist Control Group. Due to COVID-19-related restrictions, the Treatment Group received part of the intervention online (in hybrid mode). Results showed large effects of PEERS® increasing the teens’ social skills, knowledge about social skills, and the number of get-togethers with peers. Most of the effects were maintained over a six-month follow-up period. There was no impact of the delivery mode on the treatment effects. The study demonstrates the feasibility and efficacy of the Polish adaptation of PEERS® and encourages future research on the online/hybrid delivery of Social Skills Training.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adaptation / Adolescents / Autism / Autistic adolescents / Behavior Standards / Child development / Clinical Diagnosis / Clinical trials / Communication / Communication Skills / Control Groups / COVID-19 / Curricula / Efficacy / Evidence Based Practice / Feasibility / Feasibility studies / Interpersonal Competence / Intervention / Mental Disorders / Neurosciences / Parent Participation / Peer Groups / Peer Relationship / Peer relationships / Peers / Periodicals / Psychiatry / Randomized Controlled Trials / Schizophrenia / Skill development / Skills / Social education / Social Media / Social networks / Social norms / Social Problems / Social skills / Teaching Methods / Teenagers / Telemedicine / Training / Validity / Visualization