Faculty Collaboration Database

Measuring the plasticity of social approach: a randomized controlled trial of the effects of the PEERS intervention on EEG asymmetry in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2015 Feb;45(2):316-35

Date

07/03/2013

Pubmed ID

23812665

DOI

10.1007/s10803-013-1883-y

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84879339523 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   74 Citations

Abstract

This study examined whether the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS: Social skills for teenagers with developmental and autism spectrum disorders: The PEERS treatment manual, Routledge, New York, 2010a) affected neural function, via EEG asymmetry, in a randomized controlled trial of adolescents with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a group of typically developing adolescents. Adolescents with ASD in PEERS shifted from right-hemisphere gamma-band EEG asymmetry before PEERS to left-hemisphere EEG asymmetry after PEERS, versus a waitlist ASD group. Left-hemisphere EEG asymmetry was associated with more social contacts and knowledge, and fewer symptoms of autism. Adolescents with ASD in PEERS no longer differed from typically developing adolescents in left-dominant EEG asymmetry at post-test. These findings are discussed via the Modifier Model of Autism (Mundy et al. in Res Pract Persons Severe Disabl 32(2):124, 2007), with emphasis on remediating isolation/withdrawal in ASD.

Author List

Van Hecke AV, Stevens S, Carson AM, Karst JS, Dolan B, Schohl K, McKindles RJ, Remmel R, Brockman S

Authors

Jeffrey S. Karst PhD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Amy Van Hecke PhD Professor in the Psychology department at Marquette University

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior
Brain Waves
Child
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
Electroencephalography
Female
Functional Laterality
Humans
Male
Psychotherapy, Brief
Psychotherapy, Group
Social Behavior