PEERS® Curriculum for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Aims: The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®), designed to enhance social skills and relationships for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their caregivers, has primarily been implemented with older children and adolescents ages 11-19, leaving a gap in research on its effectiveness in young children. This scoping review assesses evidence of the effectiveness of the PEERS® program for children with ASD.

Methods: A literature search was conducted, resulting in 97 articles. Following the implementation of inclusion and exclusion criteria, four articles of Level III and IV evidence based on CEBM guidelines were included in this review.

Results: All studies demonstrated positive findings regarding social skills development with one study revealing statistically significant results in increasing social skills and decreasing problem behaviors after participation in the PEERS® program.

Conclusions: This scoping review found improvements in the PEERS® programs for social skills in young children (ages 4-7) with ASD. However, further research is warranted, emphasizing larger sample sizes, consideration of external factors, and implementation of randomization and blinding in future studies.