Abstract
This review addresses the use of peer-mediated interventions (PMI) to improve the social interaction skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive settings. The purpose of this review is to (a) identify the characteristics and components of peer-mediated social interaction interventions, (b) evaluate the effectiveness of PMI by offering an analysis of intervention results and research design, and (c) suggest directions for future research. Overall, results suggest that PMI is a promising treatment for increasing social interaction in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD in inclusive settings, with positive generalization, maintenance, and social validity outcomes. Findings also suggest that participant characteristics and the type of social deficit an individual exhibits are important considerations when choosing the optimal configuration of PMI strategies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the review
Banda, D. R., & Hart, S. L. (2010). Increasing peer-to-peer social skills through direct instruction of two elementary school girls with autism. Journal of Research in Special Education Needs, 10, 124–132.
*Banda, D. R., Hart, S. L., & Liu-Gitz, L. (2010). Impact of training peers and children with autism on social skills during center time activities in inclusive classrooms. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 619–625.
Bellini, S., Peters, J. K., Benner, L., & Hopf, A. (2007). A meta-analysis of school-based social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 28(3), 153–162.
Camargo, S. P. H., Rispoli, M., Ganz, J., Hong, E. R., Davis, H., & Mason, R. (2014). A review of the quality of behaviorally-based intervention research to improve social interaction skills of children with ASD in inclusive settings. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1–21.
Carr, E. G., & Darcy, M. (1990). Setting generality of peer modeling in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20(1), 45–59.
Carter, E. W., Sisco, L. G., Chung, Y., & Stanton-Chapman, T. L. (2010). Peer interactions of students with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: A map of the intervention literature. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 35, 36–79.
Chambless, D. L., & Hollon, S. D. (1998). Defining empirically supported therapies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 7–18.
Chan, J. M., Lang, R., Rispoli, M., O’Reilly, M., Sigafoos, J., & Cole, H. (2009). Use of peer-mediated interventions in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 876–889.
Cicchetti, D. V. (2011). On the reliability and accuracy of the Evaluative Method for identifying evidence-based practices in autism. In Evidence-based practices and treatments for children with autism (pp. 41–51). New York: Springer.
DiSalvo, C. A., & Oswald, D. P. (2002). Peer mediated interventions to increase the social interaction of children with autism: Consideration of peer expectancies. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disorders, 17, 198–207.
Fey, M. E. (1986). Language intervention with young children. San Diego, CA: College-Hill Press.
*Ganz, J. B., & Flores, M. M. (2008). Effects of the use of visual strategies in play groups for children with autism spectrum disorders and their peers. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(5), 926–940.
Ganz, J. B., Heath, A. K., Lund, E. M., Camargo, S. P., Rispoli, M. J., Boles, M., et al. (2012). Effects of peer-mediated implementation of visual scripts in middle school. Behavior Modification, 36(3), 378–398.
Gifford-Smith, M. E., & Brownell, C. A. (2003). Childhood peer relationships: Social acceptance, friendships, and peer networks. Journal of School Psychology, 41, 235–284.
*Harper, C. B., Symon, J. B. G., & Frea, W. D. (2008). Recess is time-in: Using peers to improve social skills of children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 815–826.
Hemmeter, M. L. (2000). Classroom-based interventions evaluating the past and looking toward the future. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20(1), 56–61.
*Hughes, C., Golas, M., Cosgriff, J., Brigham, N., Edwards, C., & Cashen, K. (2011). Effects of a social skills interventions among high school students with intellectual disabilities and autism and their general education peers. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 36, 46–61.
*Hughes, C., Harvey, M., Cosgriff, J., Reilly, C., Heilingoetter, J., Brigham, N., et al. (2013). A peer-delivered social interaction intervention for high school students with autism. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 38, 1–16.
Hughes, C., Rung, L., Wehmeyer, M., Agran, M., Copeland, S., & Hwang, B. (2000). Self-prompted communication book use to increase social interaction among high school students. The Journal of the Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps, 25, 153–166.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2(K)4. PL 108-446. 20 U.S.C, §§ 1400 et seq.
*Jung, S., Sainato, D. M., & Davis, C. A. (2008). Using high-probability request sequences to increase social interactions in young children with autism. Journal of Early Intervention, 30(3), 163–187.
*Katz, E., & Girolametto, L. (2013). Peer-mediated intervention for preschoolers with ASD implemented in early childhood education settings. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 33(3), 133–143.
Kennedy, C. H. (2002). The maintenance of behavior change as an indicator of social validity. Behavior Modification, 26, 594–604.
Kennedy, C. H. (2005). Single-case designs for educational research. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
*Koegel, R. L., Fredeen, R., Kim, S., Danial, J., Rubinstein, D., & Koegel, L. K. (2012a). Using perseverative interests to improve interactions between adolescents with autism and their typical peers in school settings. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14(3), 133–141.
*Koegel, R., Kim, S., Koegel, L., & Schwartzman, B. (2013). Improving socialization for high school students with ASD by using their preferred interests. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 2121–2134.
Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Fredeen, R. M., & Gengoux, G. W. (2008). Naturalistic behavioral approaches to treatment. Autism spectrum disorders in infants and toddlers: Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment, 207–242.
Koegel, L. K., Kuriakose, S., Singh, A. K., & Koegel, R. L. (2012b). Improving generalization of peer socialization gains in inclusive school settings using initiations training. Behavior modification, 0145445512445609.
Koegel, L., Matos-Freden, R., Lang, R., & Koegel, R. (2012c). Interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders in inclusive school settings. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 19, 401–412.
*Koegel, L., Vernon, T., Koegel, R. L., Koegel, B., & Paullin, A. W. (2012d). Improving socialization between children with autism spectrum disorder and their peers in inclusive settings. Journal of Positive Behavioral Intervention, 14(4), 220–227.
Kohler, F. W., Strain, P. S., Hoyson, M., & Jamieson, B. (1997). Merging naturalistic teaching and peer-based strategies to address the IEP objectives of preschoolers with autism an examination of structural and child behavior outcomes. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 12(4), 196–206.
Kratochwill, T. R., Hitchcock, J. H., Horner, R. H., Levin, J. R., Odom, S. L., Rindskopf, D. M., & Shadish, W. R. (2012). Single-case intervention research design standards. Remedial and Special Education, 0741932512452794.
Krebs, M. L., McDaniel, D. M., & Neeley, R. A. (2010). The effects of peer training on the social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorders. Education, 131(2), 393–403.
Kuhn, L. R., Bodkin, A. E., Devlin, S. D., & Doggett, R. A. (2008). Using pivotal response training with peers in special education to facilitate play in two children with autism. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 43(1), 37.
Lang, R., Regester, A., Rispoli, M., Pimentel, S., & Camargo, S. H. (2010). Rehabilitation issues for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 13, 153–155.
*Loftin, R. L., Odom, S. L., & Lantz, J. F. (2008). Social interaction and repetitive motor behaviors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(6), 1124–1135.
*Mason, R., et al. (2013). Peer mediation to increase communication and interaction at recess for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2013.12.014.
Mesibov, G. B., & Shea, V. (1996). Full inclusion and students with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26(3), 337–346.
Odom, S. L., Brown, W. H., Frey, T., Karasu, N., Smith-Canter, L. L., & Strain, P. S. (2003). Evidence-based practices for young children with autism contributions for single-subject design research. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 18(3), 166–175.
Odom, S. L., & Strain, P. S. (1984). Peer mediated approaches to promoting children’s social interaction: A review. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 54, 544–557.
Owen-DeSchryver, J. S., Carr, E. G., Calle, S. I., & Blakely-Smith, A. (2008). Promoting social interactions between students with autism spectrum disorders and their peers in inclusive school settings. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disorders, 23, 15–28.
Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1997). Multiple peer use of pivotal response training to increase social behaviors of classmates with autism: Results from trained and untrained peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(1), 157–160.
Pituch, K. A., Green, V. A., Didden, R., Lang, R., O’Reilly, M. F., Lancioni, G. E., et al. (2011). Parent reported treatment priorities for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 135–143.
Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. R. (2010). Social skills interventions for individuals with autism: Evaluation for evidence-based practices within a best evidence synthesis framework. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 149–166.
Reichow, B., Volkmar, F. R., & Cicchetti, D. V. (2008). Development of the evaluative method for evaluating and determining evidence-based practices in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(7), 1311–1319.
Rubin, K. H., Bukowski, W. M., & Laursen, B. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Schmidt, C., & Stichter, J. P. (2012). The use of peer-mediated interventions to promote the generalization of social competence for adolescents with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Exceptionality, 20(2), 94–113.
Strain, P. S., & Kohler, F. (1998). Peer-mediated social intervention for young children with autism. In Seminars in speech and language (Vol. 19, No. 04, pp. 391–405). © 1998 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
Trembath, D., Balandin, S., Togher, L., & Stancliffe, R. J. (2009). Peer-mediated teaching and augmentative and alternative communication for preschool-aged children with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 34(2), 173–186.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Digest of education statistics, 2011 (NCES 2012-001), Chapter 2.
White, S. W., Keonig, K., & Scahill, L. (2007). Social skills development in children with autism spectrum disorders: A review of the intervention research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37(10), 1858–1868.
Wolery, M., Busick, M., Reichow, B., & Barton, E. E. (2010). Comparison of overlap methods for quantitatively synthesizing single-subject data. The Journal of Special Education, 44(1), 18–28.
Yell, M. L. (1995). Least restrictive environment, inclusion, and students with disabilities: A legal analysis. The Journal of Special Education, 28(4), 389–404.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Watkins, L., O’Reilly, M., Kuhn, M. et al. A Review of Peer-Mediated Social Interaction Interventions for Students with Autism in Inclusive Settings. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 1070–1083 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2264-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2264-x