Peer Relations and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention
摘要
In this chapter, I provide a synthesis of assessment and intervention strategies with regard to peer relations of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND). I describe several validated tools for assessing social skills, peer status, friendships, and bullying. Although there is research describing environments that promote positive peer relations, I was not able to find published observation schedules or norm-referenced rating scales that assess the peer environment. Primary prevention approaches, such as cooperative learning, peer tutoring, and social and emotional learning, are efficacious in promoting positive peer relationships and reducing bullying in neurotypical youth; the research regarding ND youth, however, is inconclusive. Most interventions evaluated with samples of ND youth are associated with improvement in specific social skills; there is typically, however, minimal or no impact on peer acceptance. There are several implications for future research, including the development of psychometrically sound observation schedules and rating scales for assessing the peer environment, adapting and evaluating programs that have been found to be efficacious for neurotypical children (e.g., cyberbullying programs) or for children with a specific ND for children with other NDs, and developing interventions to address resisting peer pressure to engage in misconduct. Educators and clinicians who want to improve the peer relations of their students/clients should consider whether a Tier 1 intervention would suffice, how to include ND youth in activities with peers, the developmental stage of the student/client with ND, and the quality of the research supporting an intervention.