How do you improve social skills? Join our class and find out!

Why does “social skills training” usually NOT work?

1) They are usually done in pull-out settings. For single-trial learners, concrete thinkers, this means: they practice this skill, with these people, in this room. There’s no homework, thus no carryover. Other people in the teen or adults social environment don’t know what they’re working on. Plus, while well-meaning, they usually give horrible advice on social skills.

2) Most social skills instruction is not evidence-based. LOTS of social skills programs out there, but they don’t have the research to back it up. The PEERS® curriculum was designed in 2006 specifically for autistic teens and adults. Social demands increase over time — so should social support.

Our programming, using the PEERS® curriculum, TRAINS THE ENVIRONMENT. Parents and people close to the teen/adults learn to use a shared language: “trade information, find common interests, cover story, friendship is a choice,” as well as “get in where you fit in” and several other buzzwords and key phrases that help drive the lessons home.

We know that PEERS® really works due to several measures. Most convincing for me is the longitudinal study that showed, even 5 years after taking the 16-week course, autistic teens and adults were having an average of 4 get-togethers a month (pre-COVID). Now THAT’S a social life!

Added bonus: We LISTEN to actually autistic people. We read, follow, pay attention to, and pay for their consultancy guided us to provide direct and explicit instruction in increased perspective-taking, setting boundaries, self-advocacy, and mindfulness skills.