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

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.