Social Skills Treatment for Adolescents and Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Deanna Dow and Elizabeth Laugeson succinctly describe the social impairments that individuals with autism often face, noting that the impairments often worsen during times of transition such as the developmental periods of adolescence and adulthood. Dow and Laugeson note that individuals with autism are at risk of peer rejection, lack of social support, social isolation, high levels of loneliness, a poorer quality of life, victimization and bullying, and problems with academic and occupational tasks, and are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. The authors note that social skills treatment is of critical importance for clients with autism. The UCLA PEERS® model is an empirically supported intervention to address social impairments. Dow and Laugeson outline the importance of assessing intrinsic motivation for social skills treatment and highlight effective treatment strategies, consistent with the PEERS® model.