Chapin, S., McNaughton, D., Boyle, S., (2016, August). Effects of Peer Support Interventions on the Communication of Preschoolers with ASD: A Systematic Review. Presentation at the biennial conference of the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC). Toronto, Canada. [Handout].
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine (a) the overall effects of peer support interventions on the communication of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and (b) any possible moderating variables related to participant and intervention characteristics. Descriptive analyses and effect size estimations using the Improvement Rate Difference (IRD) metric were conducted. Shelley used the social support model proposed by Hunt, Doering, Maier, Mintz, Soto, and Zangari (2009) to examine the impact of the following activities:
- providing information to peers (friendship training/ability awareness groups),
- identifying and using interactive materials (AAC and material selection criteria),
- arranging interactive activities, and
- facilitating positive social interactions (adult support behaviors).
Evidence gathered demonstrated that interventions focused on teaching peers to support the communication of young children with ASD can result in positive changes in social communication behaviors for the children with ASD.
