Peer-based interventions are evidence-based practices that teach strategies to typically developing peers for facilitating social interactions with children on the autism spectrum. Peer-based interventions can be used to target communication skills, interpersonal skills, and play skills. The effects of these types of interventions often are beneficial for both the student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the peer(s). For example, students with ASD often demonstrate improvements in social interaction skills including increased initiation and responding to peers. Peers often demonstrate increased levels of tolerance, awareness, and acceptance of differences. There are 4 primary steps to implementing a successful peer-based intervention.
Step 1: Select Peers
- Peers selected to be part of the intervention should possess key characteristics.
- Peers should be of a similar age and, if possible, share similar interests to the student with ASD.
- Peers should be motivated to participate. Peers who volunteer will be more invested in the process and more responsive to the strategies than those who are unmotivated.
- Peers should possess strong social and communication skills. For example, an outgoing individual who is capable of participating in successful social interactions with a variety of people would be a better intervention partner than a peer who is shy and prefers to keep to him/herself.
- Peers should be dependable. Dependability is important for both the peer and the student with ASD. A student who is frequently absent will miss critical teaching and practice time. Furthermore, the student with ASD will be more comfortable with a student frequently seen around the school than a student who has sporadic attendance.
- It is recommended to train more than one peer to avoid burnout and support generalization, but keep the number manageable for the student with ASD.
Step 2: Train and Support Peers
Begin by teaching the peers to recognize and appreciate similarities and differences. Teach the peers to use good disability etiquette (resources on back). Be sure they understand autism generally and address any myths or misconceptions they have about students with ASD. Next, share information about the student with ASD; likes, dislikes, strengths, and challenges and discuss the goals of the intervention. What do you want the student with ASD to gain from this intervention? What will the peer(s) gain?
Once the peers seem to have an understanding of ASD and the student with ASD, teach specific strategies for initiating and maintaining interactions with that student. Useful strategies to teach peers may include some or all of the following:
- How to gain the attention of the student with ASD.
- How to use developmentally appropriate language.
- How to enhance motivation by offering choices
- How to model appropriate and complex play/conversation skills.
- How to encourage conversation and turn-taking.
- How to reinforce appropriate social behaviors
- How to use visual supports.
These strategies can be taught through definition, discussion, modeling and role-play with the peers in a small group setting.
Step 3: Facilitate Structured Social Activities
During the initial stages of implementation, have the peer(s) and student with ASD participate in a short, structured social setting. Choose an activity that can be enjoyed by both the peer(s) and the student with ASD. Simple board games or motor activities can be good options. Be prepared to provide frequent prompts and to praise to both the peer(s) and student with ASD in the initial training phases. As the peer(s) gain confidence and the student with ASD becomes increasingly comfortable with the peer(s), interaction opportunities can be generalized to more natural school settings like lunch and recess. Over time, opportunities may even be expanded into classroom group work or school-based extracurricular activities. Throughout the implementation phase, consider regularly meeting with the peer(s) to provide additional support. Be sure to continually provide reinforcement to both the peers and student with ASD. Praise the student with ASD for the appropriate use of social skills; praise the peer(s) for specific use of peer interaction strategies, patience, persistence, and maturity.
Step 4: Fade Structure and Support
Early on, the adult sets up materials, assigns roles and partners, scripts actions and dialogues, and even actively participates in the peer-to-peer interaction. However, have a plan to fade that support so that both the peer(s) and the student with ASD have the opportunity to independently interact socially. As peers become increasingly comfortable implementing the strategies and as students seem comfortable being together, the adult’s role should transition. The adult may offer suggestions, pose leading questions, and comment on the event, but should refrain from active participation in the peer interactions. Eventually, support should be faded to the point that the adult is merely a secure base. As a secure base, the adult should be available for questions and support as needed but generally avoid intervening in social interactions between the peer(s) and student with ASD. However, even when support has faded, it is still important to provide periodic reinforcement (e.g., social praise) to both the student with ASD and the peer(s).
‣ VKC Resources
‣ Other Resources
- Disability Etiquette Brochure
- Disability Is Natural
- Kids Helping Kids: Teaching Typical Children to Enhance the Play and Social Skills of Their Friends With Autism and Other PDD’s: A Training Manual (See Information for Teachers)
- National Standards Project
Top photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto
[April 2015]