Long-Term Treatment Outcomes of PEERS® for Preschoolers: A Parent-Mediated Social Skills Training Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Isita Tripathi,Jasper A Estabillo,Elizabeth A Laugeson,Christine T Moody

doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05147-w

Abstract

Although parent-assisted social skills interventions may reduce early social challenges in preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), limited research has explored whether intervention gains maintain several years after treatment. This study examined the durability of PEERS® for Preschoolers, a parent-mediated social skills training program for preschool-aged children with ASD and other social challenges. Twenty-nine parents reported on child and family outcomes 1–5 years following treatment. Results demonstrated maintenance of treatment gains on measures of ASD-related social impairments including social communication, social responsiveness, social motivation, and peer engagement. Post-treatment improvements in problem behaviors and parenting stress were not maintained at long-term follow-up. Implications of these results are discussed.

Highlights

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to demonstrate pervasive impairments in social communication that often emerge in early childhood and persist throughout the lifespan (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Carter et al, 2005)
Three participants were excluded from analysis on the Quality of Play Questionnaire (QPQ) and System Rating Scales (SSiS) Problem Behaviors, given that their forms were missing a significant amount of data at T2
Findings from the current study indicate durable, long-term improvements in social behaviors and outcomes of young children with ASD participating in the P EERS® for Preschoolers program

Summary

Introduction

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to demonstrate pervasive impairments in social communication that often emerge in early childhood and persist throughout the lifespan (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013; Carter et al, 2005). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders adversely impacts child functioning and parenting behaviors (Neece et al, 2012; Hutchison et al, 2016) These challenges experienced by youth with ASD and their families highlight the need to intervene early to address social communication difficulties, and improve trajectories across the lifespan. Meta-analyses suggest that interventions addressing social impairments in the preschool population (i.e., children aged 3–5 years) are extremely limited and most have not undergone rigorous testing (Reichow & Volkmar, 2010; Wolstencroft et al, 2018) Those few studies that have utilized open or randomized control trials reinforce findings of single-subject and quasi-experimental studies, underscoring the potential of social skills interventions to make meaningful advancements in the social behaviors of young children with ASD (Park et al, in press; Ichikawa et al, 2013). While improvements in social initiation, emotional regulation, and reciprocal play have been found, small sample sizes across many studies in the current evidence base have limited more comprehensive analyses of treatment outcomes (Reichow & Volkmar, 2010; Wolstencroft et al, 2018)

Methods

Results

Conclusion