PEERS: Social Skills Training

Dr. Arnold is a Certified Provider of the UCLA PEERS program!

Dr. Arnold does not offer PEERS® as a structured group program. Instead, she draws on PEERS® social skills strategies in individual therapy, tailoring them to each person’s goals and pace.

What is the PEERS program?

Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) was originally developed at UCLA by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, Founder and Director of the UCLA PEERS Clinic, and Dr. Fred Frankel in 2005 and has expanded to locations across the United States and the world. PEERS is a manualized, social skills training intervention for adolescents and young adults. It has a strong evidence-base for use with teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, but is also appropriate for teens and young adults with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other socioemotional problems. (excerpt from UCLA PEERS website)

What is the research on the PEERS program? click here

PEERS is the only research supported program teaching relationship skills to autistic middle school and high school age individuals. The research shows maintained improvement in relationship skills and self esteem at 1, 3, and 5 year follow up. The program is 14 weeks long and requires active participation from one Parent Coach as well as the student. Research does not support completing this program multiple times, meaning that going through the program 1 time is sufficient to gain these skills.

Would you like to know more about the science if making friends? click here

Is this program respectful to the autism community?

Yes! Dr. Arnold is a strong proponent of the Neurodiversity movement. PEERS founder, Dr. Laugeson has worked with Alex Plank (founder of Wrong Planet) as well as the Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) to make sure that we are working to strengthen skills, as opposed to shaming, blaming or ‘fixing’ autistic characteristics. It was founded through researching successful social interactions, and outlining the steps that research finds results in successful social interactions.

Would you like to access the full PEERS program?

• The full PEERS® program is available through the UCLA PEERS® Clinic, which offers in-person and online groups from preschool through adulthood.
• To find a PEERS® certified provider near you or online, visit the UCLA PEERS® provider directory.
• For the full PEERS® curriculum online, visit S Groups, which offers live weekly groups for teens and adults, taught by PEERS® certified providers.