title: A comprehensive peer network intervention to improve social communication of children with autism spectrum disorders: a randomized trial in kindergarten and first grade.
abstract: The purpose of this randomized control group study was to examine the effects of a peer network intervention that included peer mediation and direct instruction for Kindergarten and First-grade children with autism spectrum disorders. Trained school staff members provided direct instruction for 56 children in the intervention group, and 39 children participated in a comparison group. Results showed children in the intervention group displayed significantly more initiations to peers than did the comparison group during non-treatment social probes and generalization probes. Treatment session data showed significant growth for total communications over baseline levels. Children in treatment also showed more growth in language and adaptive communication. Finally, teachers' ratings of prosocial skills revealed significantly greater improvements for the intervention group.
authors.affiliation: Life Span Institute, Juniper Gardens Children's Project, University of Kansas, 444 Minnesota Avenue, 3rd floor, Kansas City, KS, 66101, USA, dkamps@ku.edu.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kamps
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thiemann-Bourque
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heitzman-Powell
authors.forename: Ilene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012574:Schools; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome