Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson<\/a> discusses the importance of friendships during development and the prevalence of peer rejection and neglect across populations. She introduces The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS\u00ae), a parent-assisted social skills training program initially developed in 2004 for children and young adults experiencing difficulty with social interactions. The speaker walks through two skill snapshots, showing how combining role-play videos, collaborative questions, and peer practice helps participants learn and get comfortable with new skills. Laugeson outlines research underscoring the efficacy of PEERS\u00ae programs across groups and explains how online PEERS\u00ae delivery yields the same results as in-person training. She provides a list of free resources and thanks before the Q&A.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Handouts are online in PDF format HERE<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>