Researchers at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) have developed the first program to enhance the social skills of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have had difficulties in social life after reaching adulthood.

A research team, led by Professor Yoo Hee-jeong of the Department of Psychiatry at SNUBH, has developed the first domestic program to enhance the social skills of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
A research team, led by Professor Yoo Hee-jeong of the Department of Psychiatry at SNUBH, has developed the first domestic program to enhance the social skills of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, or PEERS, suits Koreans' sentiment and proved efficacy in treating adults with ASD, the hospital said Tuesday. 

The research team, led by Professor Yoo Hee-jeong of the Department of Psychiatry at SNUBH, took into account the characteristics of Korean culture and generational traits in developing the Korean version of PEERS, such as how adults with ASD cope with bullies and social activities based on the original program developed by the University of California Los Angeles. 

After conducting in-depth interviews with healthy adults, researchers considered cultural differences, including etiquettes in dating with partners.

They conducted a clinical trial of PEERS on 37 adults with ASD. After completing the trials, participants showed significantly improved outcomes in general sociabilities, such as making new friends, dating, and arguing with friends.

After four months, the research team saw improvements in participants’ mental health, as their parent-child relationship recovered and depressive state reduced.

“We developed the Korean version of the PEERS for adults to enhance the social skills of those with ASD,” Professor Yoo said. “We hope many organizations to use the newly modified PEERS to help adults with ASD.”

ASD is a social developmental disorder characterized by a lack of social skills, communication problems, and abnormal behavior patterns observed in affected patients.

Patients with ASD can improve their sociality and engage in social activities, even getting a job, by completing an appropriate social skills training program. For this reason, the U.S. and many other countries have developed programs for adolescents and adults with ASD, but Korea has lacked a systematic program so far.

The study results were published in the October issue of Frontiers in Psychiatry in Autism section.

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