For many teens, navigating social interactions is difficult. As a parent or caregiver, it can be hard to watch them as they struggle with things like starting a conversation, joining a group, connecting with others their age, or inviting others over for a get together. It can be even harder to see the effects this can have – such as isolation, low self-esteem, and frustration – and not know how to help.
This is where the PEERS® program for teens comes in to help. The PEERS® program was developed at UCLA by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. Backed by extensive research, PEERS® has been helping children and teens around the world build the social skills that they need to form and maintain meaningful friendships.
What is PEERS®?
PEERS® stands for the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills. The program was founded by Dr. PEERS® stands for the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills. The program was developed at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior in 2005.
In her creation of PEERS®, Dr. Laugeson strived to foster social skills in adolescents who were struggling with developing and maintaining friendships. Since its creation, the PEERS® curriculum has been translated into over a dozen languages and has been used in group practices all across the US and in over 150 countries around the world.
What makes PEERS® truly stand out is that it’s extremely evidence-based, with extensive research supporting its effectiveness. In its development, the most ecologically valid behaviors and skills of children, teens, and young adults who are able to make and keep friends were broken down into basic social skills groups. These were skills such as knowing how to:
- start a conversation and exchange information
- look for common interests
- find friends
- use humor appropriately
- host get-togethers
- and handle conflicts and disagreements.
Studies showed that having a good grasp of these skills worked in real life and, as a result, teaching these skills became the foundation of the PEERS® curriculum.
Since its creation, new skills have been added to the list such as how to handle teasing and sections on verbal, physical, and cyber bullying which have been proven to be effective and empowering, especially in today’s social environment.
The Evidence-Based Success of the PEERS® Programs
PEERS® was originally developed for children and young adults with autism who struggled understanding social cues. However, research has shown it to be effective for a wide variety of social difficulties, including ADHD, social anxiety, and depression. The program’s success is well-documented, with research showing that teens who complete the program not only improve their social skills but also increase the number of social interactions and get-togethers that they have.
But what’s truly incredible about PEERS® is that the benefits last well beyond the program. Studies have shown that the gains teens make in social skills and social interactions are sustained for years, making PEERS® one of the most effective social skills training programs available.
The PEERS® Process
PEERS® classes are taught in small groups with 90-minute meetings once a week for 14 weeks. The point of the curriculum being taught in group format is because the skills being learned aren’t just taught in theory. Each skill is practiced among the group during and after class to help them build confidence and feel more comfortable no matter what social setting they’re in.
At Brain Insights, we run PEERS groups specifically for teens. We’ve structured each session to ensure that teens can apply what they learned in their everyday lives. We start by introducing new skills to the group using the Socratic method. For example, we might show them a video or have them roleplay a situation then discuss what might have gone wrong and what they could have done to make it better. So, not only are they learning explicit social rules and skills, this way of guided teaching uses questions to encourage critical thinking and lets them discover and internalize each skill for themselves.
After learning the hidden rules or steps behind the social skill topic of the day, teens then have the opportunity to try it out in role play. This moves knowledge into action. While it can be a little nerve wracking to try these things out in front of the group, teens quickly build confidence and learn from direct feedback by a psychologist. They have the opportunity to practice in a low-risk environment.
By the end of the group, they are given a homework assignment to practice whatever skill was taught that day during the coming week. These assignments are a crucial part of the process. Homework assignments begin small, for example the teens are assigned to call another group member to practice conversation skills. Then, as the group progresses, they move into more complex challenges, such as identifying a friend outside the group and hosting a get-together. These assignments are designed to build confidence and ensure that teens are applying their new skills in real-life situations.
The Parent’s Role in PEERS®
One of the unique aspects of PEERS® is that it is a parent- or caregiver-assisted program. Parents often feel helpless and lost when they see their children struggling socially. They want to help but they don’t know how in ways that would actually be useful.
In the PEERS® program, this dual approach is a key part of the program’s success. While teens are learning social skills in one room, their parents are in another room learning how to become a social skills coach for them. They learn practical strategies to coach their teens in supportive and non-judgmental ways. Then, they receive feedback from a psychologist or mental health professional on the best ways to guide their teens, helping to keep communication open and effective. This allows parents to be able to coach their teens on what to do and give them feedback outside of the weekly sessions and long after the course ends.
Who is PEERS® For?
One important component of the PEERS® program is that the teen involved has to be motivated to participate. They have to have a desire and a want to learn. It’s not a good fit for teens who think everything is fine or are resistant to the idea of discussing things in a group.
Every group session and homework assignment also involves a lot of talking and interaction. So, while the program can be extremely helpful for teens with disabilities, it won’t be helpful for teens who are nonverbal or have low verbal abilities.
Parents are also a crucial part of their teen’s success in PEERS®. Therefore, it’s important to note that consistency is highly important in the parent sessions. Though both parents are always welcome, one parent must be committed to attending at least 11 out of 14 of the weekly sessions. This helps to make sure the home coaching remains in line with what the teen is learning in the group and that the gains are maintained long-term.
Every teen deserves the opportunity to build friendships that will boost their confidence and enrich their life. The PEERS® program empowers teens with the skills needed to do exactly that.
By teaching essential social skills in an open, structured, and supportive environment, PEERS® builds teens’ confidence and gives them the skills needed to create meaningful and lasting relationships. With the added involvement of loving parents as their social coaches, this program ensures that the skills learned are reinforced both in and out of the sessions, leading to long-term success.
If you believe your teen could benefit from our PEERS® for Teens group course, contact us today to enroll or learn more about how this program can make a difference in your teen’s life.
