PEERS Social Intervention
The Strengths in ADHD Research Lab at the University of Calgary is pleased to offer a FREE intervention program to youth with ADHD and their families in the Calgary area.
The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Social Skills (PEERS) for Adolescents
PEERS is an evidence-based and empirically-supported interventions program designed to help motivated teens learn how to make and keep friends. Teens are taught and shown important social skills, and are given the opportunity to practice these skills during socialization activities. While teens are in their own session, parents/caregivers have their own facilitated sessions where they learn how to assist their teen by expanding their social network and providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments.
The program is designed for adolescents ages 13-18 (PEERS) with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder who are themselves motivated and interested to participate. Involvement includes parent/caregiver and teen attendance at all sessions. Each session is 1.5 hours and is held weekly at the University of Calgary.
The Strengths in ADHD Research Lab offers PEERS on a NO COST BASIS as it is a part of a research study. In order to participate in PEERS, both teens and parents must be willing to participate in research by completing surveys at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a 6-month follow up.
Program Overview
- PEERS for adolescents is an evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated teens in middle and high school who are interested in making and keeping friends and or handling conflict and rejection.
- Teens and parents attend 14 weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week.
- Teens are taught social skills through didactic lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during group socialization activities.
- Parents attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends.
- Teen and parent research participation is required to participate in the intervention.
Teens will learn about:
- Developing and maintaining friendships
- Conversation skills
- Entering and exiting conversations
- Electronic communication
- Using humor appropriately
- Organizing get togethers
- Being a good sport
- Handling disagreements
- Changing a bad reputation
- Handling teasing and bullying
Application
Participant requirements:
- Teens must have a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Teens must be 13-18 years of age
- Teens must have friendship problems
- Teens must be interested in attending the program voluntarily
- Parents must be willing to participate
** PEERS is being conducted as part of a research study; thus, to participate all participants must be willing to participate in research (e.g., completing questionnaires).
The Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board (CFREB), University of Calgary has reviewed and approved the research. The CFREB is constituted and operates in accordance with the current version of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS). Ethics ID: REB21-1355
How can I apply to participate?
Please contact: adhdkids@ucalgary.ca
Dates and Location:
Start date: September 14, 2022
Duration: 14 weeks, ends December 14, 2022
Planned Terms: Wednesday evenings from 6:30 – 8 pm.
Location: PEERS groups will take place at the University of Calgary in the Education Tower.
Kristen is a Doctoral Student in School and Applied Child Psychology at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary and practices as a Student Clinician at CanLearn Society.
