Effectiveness of peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a systematic review

The study aims to systematically review evidence on the effectiveness of peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) on children with ASD. A systematic review of English peer reviewed article journals was conducted. Only studies that had children with autism as participants and examined the effectiveness of PMIs in a school or home environment were eligible for inclusion. Twelve studies that reported a change in social behaviour. Eleven studies reported an improvement in the behaviour of target participants while one study did not find any improvement in social behaviour. There were four studies that reported an improvement in communication skills. The final finding is that PMI is an effective intervention for improving social behaviour and communication skills of children with ASD in inclusive settings.