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College Friends

Peers Program

August 28, 2024

PEERS® Social Skills Group for Adolescents

PEERS® for Adolescents is a 14-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated teens in middle and high school who are interested in learning new ways of making and keeping friends. This internationally acclaimed program, used in over 35 countries, was originally developed at UCLA by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. 

A brief segment by CBS on PEERS Social Skills Program with Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson.

During each group session, teens are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills in session during socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends by helping to expand their teen’s social network and providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments.  

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We work very hard to compose the groups of teens who are approximately around the same developmental level, so it could be that your teen will have to wait longer for a group that is appropriate for him/her.

New Sessions

 

Duration: 14 weeks 

Session: 90 mins

Day of Week: Wednesdays 

Time: 5:00pm-6:30pm

Start Date: 8/28/2024 (Thanksgiving week 11/25 -11/29 no Session)

End Date:  12/04/2024

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For more information, please call 469-320-1700 or email us at info@viceversaspeech.com.

  • What does PEERS® mean?
    Program for the Evalution and Enrichment of Relational Skills: a parent-assisted program that focuses on teens in the middle school and high school who are having difficulties creating and keeping friends.
  • Who may benefit from PEERS®?
    PEERS targets skill development rather than correction of social mistakes. Because the steps to making and keeping friends seem to be the same, regardless of the diagnosis of the teen, PEERS has widespread applicability.
  • What skills are taught at PEERS®?
    How to use appropriate conversational skills How to find common interests by trading information How to appropriately use humor How to enter and exit conversations with peers How to reduce teasing and bullying How to handle rumors and gossip How to plan and host get-togethers How to skillfully use electronic communication How to choose appropriate friends How to be a good sport How to handle arguments and disagreements How to change a bad reputation
  • How long are the sessions?
    There are separate parent and teen sessions that meet for a total of 90 minutes per week over a 14-week period. Breakdown for each session: 15 minutes of parent training prior to the session 60-minute sessions for the teenagers with 15 minutes for parents and teens towards the end of the session Parents must attend at least 11 of the 14 sessions enrolled.
  • What is the process for joining the PEERS® program?
    An intake interview will be conducted for both parents/legal guardians and teens prior to admission in the treatment group via phone or videoconferencing. Each group will be interviewed separately.
  • Why are parents required to attend the meetings?
    Parents play an important role in their teenager's life. Parents will be learning everything that their teenager is being taught and helping their teenager make new friends by identifying places where they might be able to meet. Parents will also ensure that their teenager completes weekly assigned homeworks.
  • What is the group size?
    Group size will be minimum of 3 and maximum of 6 teens per group. The purpose of this program is to learn skills on how to make friends not within the group but learn skills that they can carryover to their environment such as home, school, church, etc.
  • Where are you located?
    6230 N Belt Line Rd., Ste 300, Irving, TX 75063
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