Adaptation and Feasibility of the Mandarin Version of PEERS® for Autistic Adolescents.
Mandarin PEERS® is doable and lifts social knowledge for autistic teens with IQ ≥70.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Lao et al. (2024) translated the PEERS® social-skills class into Mandarin. They ran the the study period with 20 autistic teens who had IQ scores of 70 or higher.
Each week, teens and parents met in separate groups for 90 minutes. Staff used role-play, homework, and live coaching. Before and after, the team gave surveys on social knowledge, mood, and parent stress.
What they found
All 20 teens finished the course. Their social-knowledge test scores jumped from a large share to a large share. Parents also said their kids talked more and felt calmer.
No family dropped out, and every parent said the Mandarin examples felt natural. The team called the program “feasible” and saw no bad side effects.
How this fits with other research
Day et al. (2021) gave the same PEERS® manual to U.S. college students with IDD. Both studies used pre-post surveys and saw big social-knowledge gains, showing the class works past high school.
McCabe (2013) warned that China’s autism services were “quantity over quality.” Uchong’s careful translation and parent groups answer that call by bringing an evidence-based model to Beijing.
ADiemer et al. (2023) ran a 24-session PECS picture program in the same city. Like Uchong, they saw steady progress and no dropouts, hinting that Chinese families will stick to structured, weekly autism programs.
Why it matters
If you serve bilingual families, you now have proof that a full Mandarin PEERS® keeps families engaged and boosts teen social IQ. Try adding short Mandarin role-play clips or homework sheets to your own groups; parents can coach at home in their first language.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add one Mandarin parent handout to this week’s homework and track if teens return it signed.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is a group-based social skills training program for adolescents on the autism spectrum. Although the program has been shown to be effective in improving social skills in autistic adolescents, evidence of its effectiveness from the Mandarin-speaking Chinese population is sparse. The present study used a non-randomized, pre- and post-intervention research design to investigate the feasibility and cultural validity of the program, as well as examine the moderators of intervention outcomes. METHODS: Thirty-three autistic adolescents with intelligence quotient above 70 (Mage = 13.57, SDage = 1.43; Male: Female 25:8) and their parents received 14 concurrent 90-minute sessions. Adolescents' autistic traits, challenging behaviors, emotional functioning, socio-cognitive process, social environment factors (school support), and caregivers' well-being were evaluated. RESULTS: The findings suggest that with minor adjustments, the Mandarin version of PEERS® was generally acceptable and feasible for autistic adolescents and their parents. PEERS® may improve the social skills knowledge, reciprocal communication abilities, and emotional well-being of autistic adolescents. Also, participants with a higher level of school support, and parents with lower perceived subjective well-being at baseline may gain more benefits from PEERS®. The cultural adaptation and acceptability of the Mandarin Version of PEERS® were discussed. CONCLUSION: This feasibility study (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2200061417, 2022-06-23, retrospectively registered) provides a basis for further randomized control trials of the Mandarin version of PEERS®.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2024 · doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2019-0262