PEERS Program: Friendship for Teens with Autism
The teen years can be treacherous for any kid, but for those on the autism spectrum, they can be extra challenging. New social scenarios demand equally new sets of social skills.
According to an article in the New York Times, now teens living in the UCLA vicinity have an opportunity to learn the skills they need to help them make and keep friends in a new teen friendship-making program called PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relationsal Skills), a 14-week evidence-based social skills intervention where motivated 7th-12th graders are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice the skills. Parents are required to participate; they learn to become social coaches so their teens can retain their newly-acquired skills.
As part of the program, the teens learn how to make phone calls, exchange pleasantries, take turns, show good sportsmanship, and to have a two-way conversation (vs. being a conversation “hog”).
Obviously, the teens that graduate from this program benefit in more ways than just learning to make and keep friends, although that’s its primary focus. The skills they acquire will be useful in all areas of life, including helping them find and keep a job. Alex Gantman, the UCLA postdoctoral fellow who runs the parent session, is working to expand the training to young autistic adults who struggle not only with friendship issues, but also employment and relationship issues, such as dating.
(To read the entire article, click here.)
My son is 18 and is a junior in college. He has autism but is very high functioning. He is in a band, a social club, and writes for the school paper. He also does illustrations for a magazine. He still needs help with conversation and approaching friends or calling to make plans to do things together with anyone. Do you have anything that I could look into for him? I saw this boot camp on a news program last week. Thanks, Teri
Hi Teri,
Your comment was so detailed, I published it as a post as well. I hope you don’t mind! Your son sounds very talented!
I’m hoping someone with information that is useful to you will read the blog post and answer. Where are you located? That will help identify resources (please answer on the blog post so others can see your answer.)
Good luck!
Barbara
I have a cousin who is 20 an has Autism. He is very bright, sweet, kind an can do just about anything he puts his mind to. He has graduated High School, learned how to drive, got a job an is now taking classes in college. I would like to see him make friends though. He has had a really hard time making friends an i would like to know if there is any conventions or places that kids his age go so he could interact with others that have Autism. Please let me know of any. Thank you!