“Now They Have a Baseline Understanding”: Assessing the Effects and Social Validity of a Class-Wide Peer-Education Intervention for Autistic Middle School Students and Their Peers

Peer-education interventions can be used to improve peer knowledge of autism and attitudes toward students with autism. In this study, we use a convergent parallel mixed methods design to assess the impact and social validity of Kit for Kids – a peer-education intervention for elementary and middle-school students. Sixty-four middle school students without autism, three autistic middle school students, and three teachers participated in the study. Differences in post-test scores on knowledge and attitudes between intervention and control groups were statistically different and changes persisted over a 1-week period. Social validity assessments from stakeholders (i.e., students with autism, peers, parents, and teachers) indicated generally positive feedback for the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the intervention. Qualitative survey responses and semi-structured interviews revealed potential adaptions for future research. We discuss the implications of our work for educators and provide recommendations for future research to support students with autism in inclusive settings.