Brief Report: A Pilot Study Examining the Effects of PEERS® for Adolescents Telehealth for Autistic Adolescents.
Elyse J Adler, Hillary K Schiltz, Danielle M Glad and 4 others
PMID 35870099WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adolescents who completed a 16-week social skills program online showed better social knowledge, more get-togethers, and lower caregiver-reported autistic symptoms.
Without a control group, this pilot suggests feasibility but cannot confirm the treatment caused these changes.
Key findings
01Caregivers reported a significant decrease in core autistic symptoms on the Social Responsiveness Scale, with a large effect size.
02Both adolescents and caregivers reported a significant increase in the number of hosted and invited get-togethers, with large effect sizes.
03Adolescents showed a significant improvement in knowledge of social skills and friendship concepts, with a large effect size.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was not a randomized controlled trial; all participants received the intervention without a comparison group, so improvements cannot be distinguished from natural developmental changes or practice effects. The sample was small (n=22) and limited to southeastern Wisconsin, restricting generalizability. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced results due to reduced in-person social demands or increased reliance on virtual interactions. Measures were face-valid and relied on self- and caregiver-report, which may be subject to demand characteristics or bias. Long-term outcomes and stakeholder feedback on acceptability were not assessed.
Declared interests
Funding was provided by the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin. The authors did not declare other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the telehealth intervention caused the observed improvements. Without a control group, these changes could reflect natural development, testing effects, or the unique social context of the pandemic rather than the specific efficacy of the PEERS® program.