Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Jean Caraway
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Autistic adolescents often experience a myriad of mental health difficulties which are worsened by lower overall levels of social support. Higher rates of mental health difficulties are reported in rural and non-metropolitan areas where resources are less readily available. Interventions aimed at increasing social skills in autistic adolescents have proven to be an effective way to increase levels of social interaction and support. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) intervention was developed to address social skills in autistic adolescents and train their parents to be ongoing social coaches. PEERS® has been used in many countries and contexts, although there has yet to be published evidence of its effectiveness in rural and non-metropolitan areas. The present study aimed to explore the effectiveness of the PEERS® intervention in a rural/non-metropolitan clinical setting via a variety of self, parent, and teacher report measures. Results indicated an increased level of knowledge of social skills by participants. Significant improvement was not consistent in participants related to friendship quality, social deficits, and the frequency of get-togethers. Findings support the need for future research in rural and non-metropolitan areas and the use of social skills interventions as a way to increase accessibility of such programs.
Subject Categories
Disability Studies | Psychology
Keywords
Autism, Psychology, Social Skills
Number of Pages
86
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Warner, Blake Elvrum, "A PILOT STUDY EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND FEASIBILTY OF THE PEERS® INTERVENTION IN A RURAL/NON-METROPOLITAN SETTING" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. 269.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/269