An Israeli RCT of PEERS®: Intervention Effectiveness and the Predictive Value of Parental Sensitivity

Objectives A Randomized Controlled Trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Hebrew adaptation of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS (R)), a parent-assisted intervention. Parental sensitivity (PS), measured in conflict and support contexts, was assessed as a predictor of adolescents' intervention-related outcomes. Design Eighty-two Hebrew-speaking adolescents (9 females), aged 12-17 years, and their parents (62 mothers), were randomly allocated into immediate intervention (II; n = 40) or delayed intervention control (DI; n = 42) groups. Participants were tested at three time-points (Pre-Post-Follow Up for II, Pre-Pre-Post for DI). Outcome measures included behavioral assessments of adolescents' social communication (SC), a social-skills knowledge test, and self, parent, and teacher reported questionnaires. PS was assessed using support and conflict parent-adolescent interactions. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess intervention effectiveness. SEM was used to examine PS pre- and post-intervention as predictors of adolescents' immediate and follow-up outcomes. Results The II group improved on adolescents' measured SC and social knowledge, on parent-(but not teacher-) reported social skills, and on self-reported empathy. Gains maintained at follow-up. The DI group showed similar gains following their intervention. Adolescents' intervention-related SC gains were negatively predicted by pre-intervention PS, and positively predicted by intervention-related PS changes in the support context. Pre-intervention PS in the conflict context positively predicted adolescent SC at follow-up. Conclusions The Hebrew-adapted PEERS (R) is an effective intervention for adolescents with ASD. PS plays an important role in the promotion of SC in adolescents with ASD and should receive clinical attention.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the effectiveness of the Hebrew adaptation of the PEERS (R) program, finding positive impacts on social communication in adolescents with ASD. Parental sensitivity played a crucial role in promoting social skills in this population.