Using Typical Peer Mentors to Teach Children with Autism Social Skills: A Model for Teaching Pro-social Behaviors to Children with Special Needs

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2 Using Typical Peer Mentors to Teach Children with Autism Social Skills: A Model for Teaching Pro-social Behaviors to Children with Special Needs Elika Shahrestani, M.S., BCBA Michelle Coulter, M.A., BCBA Doug Moes, Ph.D., BCBA-D

3 Purpose To teach children with social delays (including ASD) pro-social behaviors through the use of typically-developing peer mentors.

4 Presentation Outline Review Intent of Peer Mentorship Program (PMP) Discuss Research Program Description Preliminary Results Video Examples Conclusion & Next Steps

5 Peer Mentorship Program Intent To use typical peer mentors as catalysts to model and teach social skills to children with social delays To train parents to fidelity to actively take on role as facilitator during play dates To promote maintenance and generalization of gains by setting up consistent student-mentor dyads and by involving parents in sessions (Hope) To produce collateral gains in helping behavior, empathy, and acceptance in peer mentors

6 Research PMP Model based on Integrated Play Groups (IPG) model developed by Wolfberg and Schuler (1992) Specific social goals derived from research from Delano & Snell (2006) and Morrison et. al. (2001): Delano & Snell: seeking attention, initiating comments/requests, making contingent responses Morrison et. al.: requesting, commenting, sharing

7 IPG Model key points: Research (cont.) Natural and Integrated Setting Well-Designed Play Space Selection of Play Materials Forming Balanced Play Groups Establishing a consistent schedule and routine Focus on child competence Guided participation Full immersion in Play

8 IPG Key Points Natural and Integrated Setting Key Points Defined Natural = a location where children would naturally play; Integrated = a social setting comprised of children who are socially competent mixed with children who require a higher degree of support Well-Designed Play Space Design of physical environment should be predictable, consistent, and should encourage social interaction Selection of Play Materials Forming Balanced Play Groups Materials should be chosen based on potential for social play and age appropriateness Familiar peers/siblings who meet on a regular and consistent basis over extended periods of time. Should be matched to complement each other s abilities/interests/personalities

9 IPG Key Points (Cont.) Establishing a Consistent Schedule and Routine Key Points Defined Children cope with transitions more easily and children feel comfortable since they like predictability Focus on Child Competence Intervention focuses on child competence by capitalizing on their spontaneous initiations through scaffolding. Scaffolding: Systematic guidance and shaping of interactions through adjusting the amount of support provided to the child. Guided Participation With Target Students: Adult maintains non-intrusive role as facilitator With Peer Mentors: Adult models and coaches strategies for initiating, responding, compromising, and congratulating partners Full Immersion in Play Children fully participate in play as it would naturally occur.

10 IPG Key Points Natural and Integrated Setting Well-Designed Play Space Selection of Play Materials Forming Balanced Play Groups Establishing a Consistent Schedule and Routine Focus on Child Competence Guided Participation Full Immersion in Play Research (cont.) What it looks like at PMP Typically developing, same-aged children mixed with children with social deficits Center-based environment clearly separated by boundaries. Each center represents a specific theme (e.g., arts and crafts, socio-dramatic play, cooking station, indoor sports) Materials chosen based on age-appropriateness and social relevance. Children meet with the same buddy week after week to form consistent dyads. Children matched based on common interests and skill level of peer mentor. Meetings take place at the same time in the same location weekly; Exact same routines each session (Opening Circle, Centers, Closing Circle) Facilitators begin by modeling strategies for Peer; gradually, focus shifts to peer taking full control Facilitator periodically gives verbal prompts/reminders to peer mentor and Supervises dyads Generalization Sessions

11 Program Description 6-week private pay program Sessions take place weekly for 1 hour in a large indoor space (modified to include theme-based centers with corresponding materials) Involves 3 phases of intervention: Baseline (Day 1) initial social skills assessed; dyads formed Intervention (Days 2-5) peer mentors receive training in how to be a good friend and facilitators set up Cooperative Arrangements (Koegel & Koegel, 2006) Generalization (Day 6) Parents fully immersed in group; take on role as facilitator

12 Program Description (cont.) Target Students (children with ASD or other social delays) are selected based on: Age (range: 6-9) Goodness of fit (should not engage in severe challenging behaviors [including aggression or extreme forms of automatic-maintained behaviors]) Parent s willingness to participate in Parent Education Peer Mentors are selected based on: Personality traits (outgoing, sociable, eager to help) Age (range: 7-13) Ability to commit to weekly sessions

13 Program Description (cont.) While children participate in program, parents receive didactic training (separate room) on how to facilitate social interaction, including how to prompt peer mentors and how to set up Cooperative Arrangements (Koegel & Koegel, 2006). Small-group Activities Role-Play Homework assignments Video tapes of sessions are viewed as opportunities for discussion Long-term goal of didactic sessions is that parents feel confident to take on role as facilitator during last session (Generalization)

14 Program Description (cont.) Center-Based program built upon predictable routines: Opening Circle ( ice-breaker and group discussion about basic rules) Access to Centers: Arts & Crafts Socio-dramatic Play Board Games Cooking Station Indoor Sports Closing Circle (group discussion/group activity)

15 Ratio: 4:1 Program Description (cont.) One child with ASD ( target student ) is paired with one Peer Mentor to form a dyad One facilitator is in charge of two dyads Dyads remain the same throughout the 6-week program due to advantages of predictability and follow up Parents from Pilot Group reported more success setting up Play Dates at the cessation of PMP due to consistent buddy and reliable contact with buddy s parent Parents also reported their children felt comfortable returning to sessions because they knew exactly who was waiting there to play with them.

16 Program Description (cont.) Group Size: 12 children total (6 Target Students and 6 Peer Mentors) Overall group is supervised by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (Program Coordinator)

17 Program Description (cont.) Social Goals for Target Students: Increases in Initiations Responses Compromising behavior

18 Program Description (cont.) Operational Definitions: Initiations: Approaching peers and making a functional utterance (question or statement) Examples: Comments: This is fun, I like this Compliments: I like what you made or That s cool Questions: What s that? or What are you doing? Requests: Want to come over here? or Come play. Bids for Help: Can you help me? or I need help.

19 Program Description (cont.) Operational Definitions: Responses: When a peer makes a statement, responding appropriately (responding to a question or statement) Examples: Responding to name Responding to look! Responding to social cues (bids for help, facial expressions) Responding to play invitations Responding to questions Responding to comments

20 Program Description (cont.) Operational Definitions: Compromising: When a peer wants to do something else, graciously accepting Examples: Tolerating a shift in play (e.g., Child A wants to play one way, Child B wants to play another) Tolerating a shift in activities (e.g., Child A wants to play one game, Child B wants to play another game)

21 Data Collection Program Description (cont.) Opportunity-Based Data for Responding and Compromising Frequency-Based Data (Rate) for Initiating A-B Design Data Probes taken during Baseline and Intervention

22 Program Description (cont.) BASELINE: DAY 1 Students are pre-matched based on background information (likelihood of good fit ) Only instruction: Stay with your buddy Dyads are given the instruction to access centers No prompts/reinforcement given to the target student or peer mentor Baseline Probe data collected Changes to dyads may be made

23 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 After opening circle, Peer Mentors are taken to a separate training room while their buddies play 7 Rules for being a Good Friend are reviewed Specific strategies reviewed (opportunity for group discussion and role-play) Peer Mentors are released to find their buddy Facilitators catch the peers being good and give specific praise for following a rule Intervention Data collected All students receive access to a prize box for following the friendship rules

24 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #1: Make sure your friend is looking at you when you re talking with them

25 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #2: Make sure you STAY with your friend

26 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #3: Make sure you ASK and ANSWER questions

27 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #4: Make sure you tell your friends what you re doing

28 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #5: Make sure you re a good sport! Tell your friends Good Job! or Thank you!

29 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #6: Make sure you compromise and take turns choosing what to play or what to do

30 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS Rules for Being a Good Friend Rule #7: Make sure you help your friends

31 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 In addition to these general rules, specific strategies for specific Target Students were reviewed Examples: Cover up what [Student] is doing when you want to get his attention. Tell [student]: first we re going to do it MY way, THEN we can do it YOUR way. [Student] likes dinosaurs. Tell him he can have a dinosaur sticker if he answers my questions.

32 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 Facilitator provides peers with opportunities to roleplay scenarios Facilitator does a comprehension check to ensure peers understand the rules Facilitator reminds peers that if they follow these rules, they will earn access to the Prize Box at the end of the session

33 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 During Intervention, facilitators catch the peers being good by delivering specific verbal praise for following rules: Great job making sure your friend is looking at you! Thanks for asking your friend questions! Thanks for answering their questions! You re compromising great job! or You re taking turns so nicely! Wow you re helping your friend so nicely! You two are staying together! Woohooo!

34 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 In addition, facilitators set up Cooperative Arrangements (when necessary) to ensure the peers are working together to complete activities: Center Arts & Crafts Socio-Dramatic Play Cooking Station Examples of Cooperative Arrangements Peer holds all paints; TS holds the brushes Peer holds all pretend food; TS holds the pots &pans Peer holds the tub of pudding; TS holds the spoon

35 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 At the end of every session, all students who engaged in friendship behaviors earn a prize out of the prize box.

36 Program Description (cont.) INTERVENTION: DAYS 2-5 As each session progresses, facilitator reduces his/her intrusiveness and begins relying solely on the Peer Mentor to prompt/teach/reinforce the Target Student By Day 5 of intervention, Peer Mentor should be teaching/reinforcing goal behaviors completely independently. Facilitator should continue to provide peer with intermittent reinforcement for following the friendship rules.

37 Program Description (cont.) GENERALIZATION: DAY 6 Day 6 is Parent Involvement day Setting changes from large indoor space to another venue (e.g., park or bowling alley depending on theme of group) Parents take on active role as Facilitator with support from previous Facilitator(s) and Program Coordinators.

38 Preliminary Results Target Student Goals: Initiating: 5 out of 6 students initiations increased Responding: 6 out of 6 students responses improved Compromising: 4 out of 6 students compromising skills improved

39 Preliminary Results STUDENT BASELINE INTERVENTION STUDENT A INITIATIONS: 5 RESPONSES: 50% COMPROMISES: 0% STUDENT B INITIATIONS: 4 RESPONSES: 60% COMPROMISES: 40% STUDENT C INITIATIONS: 6 RESPONSES: 57% COMPROMISES: 100% INITIATIONS: 15 RESPONSES: 90% COMPROMISES: 67% INITIATIONS: 7 RESPONSES: 90% COMPROMISES: 75% INITIATIONS: 10 RESPONSES: 67% COMPROMISES: 100%

40 Preliminary Results STUDENT BASELINE INTERVENTION STUDENT D INITIATIONS: 7 RESPONSES: 90% COMPROMISES: 0% STUDENT E INITIATIONS: 2 RESPONSES: 33% COMPROMISES: 0% STUDENT F INITIATIONS: 8 RESPONSES: 88% COMPROMISES: 100% INITIATIONS: 5 RESPONSES: 90% COMPROMISES: 100% INITIATIONS: 5 RESPONSES: 50% COMPROMISES: 50% INITIATIONS: 22 RESPONSES: 90% COMPROMISES: 100%

41 Peer Mentor Gains Preliminary Results Despite not being a focus of the PMP, collateral gains were observed in the behaviors of the Peer Mentors. Parents of Peer Mentors reported higher frequency of helping behaviors between the Peer Mentors and their siblings.

42 Preliminary Results Testimonial from a Parent of 2 Peer Mentors: My two sons participated as peers at the Peer Mentorship Program and really enjoyed the program. The program has taught them skills to use at home with their little brother. When their little brother is having difficulties the older two boys have been able to respond appropriately. Being more specific, the middle child saw that his little brother was not responding socially to his therapist by greeting him. Both boys were playing video games and the little one was fixated on the game. The middle child told him if you don't say "hi", I will pause the game until you reply causing the little brother to respond. The "peers" experience has also helped them be more compassionate of other children. They learned not all children are alike and some have trouble socially. I saw one of them try to help a child that was playing by himself at a "playland", he tried to facilitate for the child to join him and his brothers at play. If scheduling allows it I would love for the boys to participate in this program again.

43 Video Example Video 1: AaBa (Baseline, Intervention, Generalization)

44 Video 2: Peer Training Video Example

45 Video Example Video 3: PMP Group Activity

46 Conclusion & Next Steps Magic of utilizing peers (in lieu of adults) evidenced in rapid acquisition of social skills in children with ASD 50% of parents who participated in PMP set up play dates with their child s Peer Mentor at the cessation of the program. 100% of Target Student s parents requested to enroll their child in future PMP groups 83% of Peer Mentor s parents requested to re-enroll their children

47 Conclusion & Next Steps Given demand to continue program, PMP has opened its doors to a wider repertoire of ages and activities Now accepting Target Students ages 9-14 and Peer Mentors ages 9-16 Now accepting applicants for team building package (sports, obstacle courses)

48 Contact Us For more information about our program, contact Elika Shahrestani at or or visit us at