Helping teens with acquired brain injury and cerebral palsy to improve social skills and the ability to make and maintain friendships
This research program assesses if the PEERS® for Telehealth could enhance your teenager’s social skills and help develop their skills to make and keep friends. As a result, this may improve their long-term psychological wellbeing and quality of life.
How this study could help your teenager (11-17 years old)?
This study is for kids and teenagers (11 – 17 years at high school) who would like to learn new skills to help them make and keep friends.
We have developed a 14-week online program called PEERS® for Telehealth. This program is based on the social skills training program called PEERS®: Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills. PEERS® for Telehealth aims to help kids and teenagers learn and practice skills like talking with adults and other kids, how to deal with bullying, teasing and how to be a good friend.
We will also explore kids’/teens’ and their caregivers’ experience of the program.
For children with acquired brain injuries (ABI) or cerebral palsy (CP), making friends and maintaining social networks can be a major challenge. We have previously demonstrated that the PEERS®program helps adolescents with brain injuries to improve social knowledge and participation.
Will PEERS® for Telehealth help teenagers children make and keep friends?
That is our research question.
Is your teenager able to participate?
Your teenager is able to participate if:
- They have a diagnosis of CP or ABI (at least 6 months post ABI)
- They are between 11-17 years of age and attend mainstream high school
- They have difficulty with social skills and making and maintaining friendships
Who is not eligible to participate?
Teenagers who
- Have severe visual or auditory impairment
- Have uncontrolled epilepsy
- Are non-verbal
Want your teenager to participate?
We are now recruiting for 2024!
Complete an Expression of Interest and we will be in touch.
Participation in this study is voluntary and you can withdraw from this study at any time without penalty
Need more information?
If you would like to take part in this study, or would like more information, please contact our Chief Investigator Associate Professor Leanne Sakzewski (Principal Investigator) Phone: 07 3069 7370 E: l.sakzewski1@uq.edu.au
This study is supported by a project grant from the National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland (NIISQ)
Project Members and Chief Investigators:
Associate Professor Leanne Sakzewski
Dr Jacui Barfoot
Ms Bianca Thompson
Dr Rosemary Gilmore