Adapting the PEERS® for Young Adults Program for Autistic Adults across the Lifespan

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Harker, S., Baxter, L., Gallegos, S. M., Mitchell, M., Zerga, L., Matthews, N., & Braden, B. B. (2024). Adapting the PEERS® for Young Adults Program for Autistic Adults across the Lifespan. Healthcare, 12(16), 1586. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12161586

Publication date: 9 Aug 2024 Added to AutiHub: 7 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
7
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 7 (14.3%)
  1. Samantha Harker
  2. Leslie Baxter
  3. Stephen M. Gallegos *
  4. Melissa Mitchell
  1. Lillian Zerga
  2. Nicole Matthews
  3. B. Blair Braden

Abstract

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is an evidence-based intervention developed for autistic individuals to support social communication, peer interactions, independence, and interpersonal relationships. Despite a demonstrated effectiveness for young autistic individuals in the US and several other countries, PEERS has yet to be modified to support the needs of autistic adults across the lifespan. The present study describes how our team sought autistic voices to adapt PEERS for adults of any age. Specifically, we aimed to address the needs of middle-aged and older adults and adapt the curriculum to be more neurodiversity-affirming. Between two cohorts that completed the program consecutively, we evaluated the acceptability of the adapted PEERS program and made refinements based on feedback from autistic participants and their study partners. Results indicated that Cohort 2 reported higher satisfaction with the PEERS components and overall program than Cohort 1, suggesting effective refinement. We present a framework of adaptations that more specifically address the needs of middle-aged and older adults in a neurodiverse-affirming way compared to previous iterations. Our approach to implementing an adapted PEERS curriculum across the adult lifespan may serve as a model for improved clinical care and cultivate the acceptance of neurodiversity in the interpersonal domains of autistic adults’ lives.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
32
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
3 / 32 (9.4%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
5 / 129 (3.9%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 5 / 55 (9.1%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 5 / 110 (4.5%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
55 / 129 (42.6%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 42 / 110 (38.2%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
50 / 55 (90.9%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 50 / 129 (38.8%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 37 / 42 (88.1%).
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