"I Met Someone Like Me!": Autistic Adolescents and Their Parents' Experience of the KONTAKT® Social Skills Group Training.

Afsharnejad et al. (2022) asked 20 autistic teens and 19 parents how they felt after finishing KONTAKT®. KONTAKT® is a 16-session group that teaches conversation, friendship, and problem-solving skills.

The team ran small interviews and surveys. They wanted to know what parts felt useful and why some kids improved more than others.

Teens said, "I met someone like me!" and talked about finally feeling understood. Parents saw better eye contact, more texting with peers, and less arguing at home.

Kids who had shown the biggest skill jumps in the earlier trial were also the ones gushing about new friends. Everyone liked the clear steps and take-home worksheets.

Płatos et al. (2022) ran a Polish RCT of PEERS®, another 16-week teen group. They counted get-togethers and saw big gains, backing up the happy stories Bahareh heard.

Johnson et al. (2009) did the first parent-assisted teen social-skills RCT. Their success opened the door for later programs like KONTAKT® that also invite parents to watch and learn.

Saré et al. (2020) took the same group idea into the workplace with adults. JOBSS boosted social cognition and helped a large share find jobs, showing the model keeps working after high school.

You now have teen and parent quotes that sell KONTAKT® to families on the fence. Use them in intake meetings. Pair the program with PEERS® or START if you need an RCT-backed option, and keep a follow-up group ready for alumni who age into JOBSS-style vocational training.