The Research Foundation: Evidence Supporting PEERS Effectiveness

Multiple randomized controlled trials and international validation studies provide robust evidence for PEERS' effectiveness across diverse populations and outcome measures. 

The PEERS intervention stands on a substantial foundation of empirical research, beginning with the original randomized controlled trials conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson and colleagues at UCLA¹. These pioneering studies demonstrated significant improvements in social skills knowledge, frequency of peer interactions, and quality of friendships compared to control groups receiving no intervention¹. Subsequent independent replication studies have confirmed these initial findings while extending the evidence base to include diverse geographic regions, cultural contexts, and clinical populations². This consistent pattern of positive outcomes across multiple research teams strengthens confidence in the program's core effectiveness beyond the original development setting². 

Particularly compelling are the longitudinal studies tracking PEERS outcomes over extended time periods³. Research published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders documented maintenance of social skills and friendship improvements at 1–5 year follow-up assessments³—unusually durable outcomes compared to many social interventions where effects often diminish rapidly after program completion. These findings are complemented by neuroimaging research demonstrating measurable changes in brain activity patterns during social processing tasks following PEERS intervention⁴, suggesting the program influences neural systems supporting social cognition rather than simply teaching behavioral scripts⁴. 

Beyond direct social measures, research has documented PEERS' impact on broader functioning domains including significant reductions in social anxiety (average 26% reduction in clinical symptoms)⁵, decreased core autism-related social communication difficulties as measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale⁶, improved family functioning⁷, and enhanced quality of life⁷. Multiple studies have also shown reductions in depression symptoms following PEERS participation⁸, with evidence suggesting these improvements correlate with increased social connections rather than representing non-specific treatment effects⁸. This comprehensive evidence base has led to PEERS' inclusion in multiple clinical guidelines and best practice recommendations for social interventions for neurodivergent youth⁹. 

References 

¹ Laugeson, E. A., Frankel, F., Gantman, A., Dillon, A. R., & Mogil, C. (2012). Evidence-based social skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: The UCLA PEERS program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(6), 1025–1036. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1339-1 

² Schohl, K. A., Van Hecke, A. V., Carson, A. M., Dolan, B., Karst, J. S., & Stevens, S. (2014). A replication and extension of the PEERS program: Effects on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 532–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1900-1 

³ Mandelberg, D. J., Frankel, F., Cunningham, T., Gorospe, C. M., & Laugeson, E. A. (2014). Long-term treatment outcomes for parent-assisted social skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: The UCLA PEERS program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 599–610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1900-1 

⁴ Voos, A. C., Pelphrey, K. A., Tirrell, J., Bolling, D. Z., Vander Wyk, B. C., Kaiser, M. D., & McPartland, J. C. (2013). Neural mechanisms of improvements in social motivation after PEERS® intervention in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(4), 530–537. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst030 

⁵ McVey, A. J., Dolan, B. K., Willar, K. S., Pleiss, S., Karst, J. S., Casnar, C. L., ... & Van Hecke, A. V. (2016). A replication and extension of the PEERS® for adolescents social skills intervention: Examining effects on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(12), 3739–3754. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2911-5 

⁶ Laugeson, E. A., & Park, M. N. (2014). Using a CBT approach to teach social skills to adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and other social challenges: The PEERS® method. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 32(1), 84–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0181-8 

⁷ Van Hecke, A. V., Stevens, S., Carson, A. M., Dolan, B. K., Schohl, K. A., Stone, W. L., & Koenig, K. (2015). Measuring the effectiveness of PEERS® in a community setting: Improvements in social skills and anxiety among adolescents with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(11), 3551–3561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2508-9 

⁸ Gantman, A., Kapp, S. K., Orenski, K., & Laugeson, E. A. (2012). Social skills training for young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled pilot study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(6), 1094–1103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1350-6 

⁹ Hume, K., Boyd, B., Hamm, J., & Kucharczyk, S. (2014). Supporting independence in adolescents on the autism spectrum. National Autism Center Evidence-Based Practices Report. https://www.nationalautismcenter.org