PEERS® for Young Adults by Laugeson, Elizabeth;

Short description:

PEERS® for Young Adults presents the first evidence-based group treatment program for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders and social challenges.

Long description:

PEERS® for Young Adults presents the first evidence-based group treatment program for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders and social challenges. Inside, readers will find a critical step forward in the dissemination of effective behavioral interventions for young adults in the form of 16 engaging group session outlines that are both user-friendly and backed by empirical research. Each session is accompanied by homework assignments and practice suggestions designed to reinforce the group’s understanding of the skills learned during each meeting. This practical resource will prove to be an invaluable reference for any clinician or educator working with this population.

"Many young adults with ASD struggle to make and keep friends and establish romantic relationships. Despite caregivers and relatives best efforts, these individuals are often socially isolated and despondent about their future social life. Dr Elizabeth Laugeson and her team have risen to this challenge by building upon their successful and widely used PEERS program for teenagers to produce The PEERS for Young Adults Manual: an evidence-based group treatment program for able young adults with ASD or other social difficulties. The manual is targeted at clinicians knowledgeable about ASD in adult life and provides a self-contained and comprehensive approach to teaching the ecologically valid social skills necessary for establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships. It is not difficult to see why this CBT approach is so effective: the focus of individual sessions is on key skills and the session formats are predictable and build upon prior learning; the teaching style is Socratean and encourages problem solving and perspective taking; whilst there is a strong emphasis on the logical underpinnings of successful social interactions, much use is also made of humor to reinforce learning; therapists encourage participants to use easily remembered buzzwords and phrases to encapsulate important learning points; clear homework tasks are set to provide opportunities to rehearse newly learnt skills, and, particularly importantly, caregivers attend parallel group sessions where they learn how to provide social coaching to support rehearsal in the individuals’ social environment. Laugeson displays a deep understanding of the nuts and bolts of both social interactions and running therapy groups and gives advice based on extensive experience. She also thoughtfully highlights where adaptions may be necessary to deal with varying social norms. Although not all clinicians will have the resources to provide a group based intervention, I still highly recommend they read this manual: even the most experienced therapists will find helpful knowledge and tips on how to improve the social interactions of their clients."
Dr Anthony J. Bailey, chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UBC, Institute of Mental Health chair

Table of Contents:

List of Tables  Preface  Acknowledgements  Author Biography  1. Getting Started  2. Session 1: Trading Information and Starting Conversations  3. Session 2: Trading Information and Maintaining Conversations. 4. Session 3: Finding a Source of Friends. 5.  Session 4: Electronic Communication  6. Session 5: Appropriate Use of Humor  7. Session 6: Entering Group Conversations  8. Session 7: Exiting Conversations  9. Session 8: Get-Togethers  10. Session 9: Dating Etiquette – Letting Someone Know You Like Them. 11. Session 10: Dating Etiquette – Asking Someone on a Date  12. Session 11: Dating Etiquette – Going on Dates  13. Session 12: Dating Etiquette – Dating Do’s and Dont's  14. Session 13: Handling Disagreements  15. Session 14: Handling Direct Bullying  16. Session 15: Handling Indirect Bullying  17. Session 16: Moving Forward and Graduation  References  Appendices