Skills for Living: Adult Autism Peer/Skills Intervention and Evaluation

Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) struggle with social outcomes in friendship, life, and career domains yet programming to address these barriers to work and life outcomes are limited for adults. To address some of these needs, the Principal Investigator and a student team developed a consumer-driven program) to provide Winnipeg adults with ASD an opportunity to enhance social- emotional awareness and develop important life skills. The program provides knowledge and skill training in ASD, emotional intelligence, social communication, non-verbal cues and body language, conversation skills, dealing with frustration and anxiety, building and maintaining friendships, dating and romantic relationships, dealing with school/family demands, and employment skills. Preliminary analysis from the past showed significant increases in (some areas of) quality of life and emotional intelligence as a result of this intervention. The goal of the current project is to revive and redevelop this program and deliver it to youth and adults in Manitoba and evaluate outcomes. It will be adapted for both in person and remote learning and address the ongoing skills gaps that youth and adults continue to confront in their lives.

Faculty Supervisor:

Janine Montgomery

Student:

Partner:

Asperger Manitoba Inc;Level IT Up

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: