The Manual

Dear Readers,

I made it through the research and learned so much in the process. I purchased the PEERS manual online for $52 so that I could get a first hand look at the program. It arrived in 2 days!

What is so cool about this program is that it is manualized- so not just researchers can provide the program for kids. The manual is to be used as a complete program. The material is presented in structured steps with homework assignments required in order to carry over what is learned during the lesson to home, community, and school. A neat feature of this program is the "get-togethers" the teens in the program host so they can practice the social skills they are learning. Parents are an important part of the PEERS program and even have their own classes. A teen group leader and a parent group leader and two coaches are needed and the manual provides a clear description of their duties. The manual is to be used during each highly structured session and an outline is provided to make sure everything is taught. The manual is clear, easy to follow and contains everything needed to run the PEERS program.

I found out that complete results of a follow-up to the study we just reviewed are underway. A sneak peek shows a significant increase in parent-reported social skills and social response, as well as an increased frequency of hosted-get-togethers, and improvement in knowledge of social etiquette.

The special needs teacher and I are going to approach parent council and the principal about using this manual to address social skills deficits in our school. We are also reaching out to parents and teens who may be seeking information about adolescent social skills deficits through this blog, Facebook, and the school website. Take a look at the websites located on the "Resources" page and stay tune for further updates.