title: A Replication and Extension of the PEERS® for Young Adults Social Skills Intervention: Examining Effects on Social Skills and Social Anxiety in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Young adults with ASD experience difficulties with social skills, empathy, loneliness, and social anxiety. One intervention, PEERS® for Young Adults, shows promise in addressing these challenges. The present study replicated and extended the original study by recruiting a larger sample (N = 56), employing a gold standard ASD assessment tool, and examining changes in social anxiety utilizing a randomized controlled trial design. Results indicated improvements in social responsiveness (SSIS-RS SS, p = .006 and CPB, p = .005; SRS, p = .004), PEERS® knowledge (TYASSK, p = .001), empathy (EQ, p = .044), direct interactions (QSQ-YA, p = .059), and social anxiety (LSAS-SR, p = .019). Findings demonstrate further empirical support for the intervention for individuals with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA. alana.mcvey@marquette.edu.
authors.forename: Alana J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McVey
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.
authors.forename: Bridget K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.|Children's Hospital of Colorado, 13123 E 16th Ave., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Kirsten S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Willar
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.|University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pleiss
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.|Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Karst
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA.
authors.forename: Christina L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Casnar
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caiozzo
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.
authors.forename: Elisabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.
authors.forename: Nakia S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA.
authors.forename: Amy Vaughan
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Van Hecke
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D000072861:Phobia, Social / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D066107:Social Skills; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ASD; Autism; Intervention; Social anxiety; Social skills; Young adulthood