Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- DVD Contents -- Dedication -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- About the Author -- Part 1: Getting Ready -- 1: Why Teach Social Skills to Teens and Young Adults? -- Purpose of This Book -- Rules and Steps of Social Behavior -- Ecologically Valid Social Skills -- Evidence-Based Approach -- Scientific Evidence for the UCLA PEERS Model -- Reason to Use the PEERS Method -- Tips for Parents: How to Use This Book -- Narrative Lessons for Parents -- Success Stories -- Chapter Summaries for Teens and Young Adults -- DVD Demonstrations and Social Vignettes -- Perspective-Taking Questions -- Chapter Exercises for Teens and Young Adults -- Mobile Application for Smartphones -- Importance of Social Motivation -- Introducing This Book to Teens and Young Adults -- Purpose of This Book: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Part 2: The Science of Developing and Maintaining Friendships -- 2: Finding and Choosing Good Friends -- Peer Rejection and Social Neglect -- Peer Rejection -- Social Neglect -- Finding a Source of Good Friends -- The Social Landscape of Adolescence and Adulthood -- The Importance of Social Groups -- Identifying the Right Social Group -- Understanding and Determining Your Child's Reputation -- Finding Friends through Social Groups -- Finding Friends through Extracurricular Activities and Social Hobbies -- Assessing Peer Acceptance -- Friendship Is a Choice -- Success Story: Fred Finds a Source of Friends -- Finding and Choosing Good Friends: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 3: Good Conversations: The Basics -- Perspective Taking in Conversations -- Rules of Good Conversations -- Trade Information -- Find Common Interests -- Ask the Person about Him- or Herself -- Answer Your Own Questions.

Share Relevant Information -- Ask Follow-up Questions -- Ask Open-Ended Questions -- Check Your Humor -- Listen -- Use Good Eye Contact -- Use Good Body Boundaries -- Use Good Volume Control -- Don't Be a Conversation Hog -- Don't Be an Interviewer -- Don't Be Repetitive -- Don't Police -- Don't Tease -- Don't Get Too Personal at First -- Success Story: Lance Learns to Trade Information -- Rules of Good Conversations: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 4: Starting and Entering Conversations -- Steps for Starting Individual Conversations -- Steps for Entering Group Conversations -- Success Story: Morgan Makes Friends -- Starting and Entering Conversations: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 5: Exiting Conversations -- Assessing Interest: Should You Stay or Should You Go? -- Verbal Cues -- Body Language -- Eye Contact -- Steps for Exiting Conversations When You Don't Feel Accepted -- 1. Keep Your Cool -- 2. Slowly Look Away -- 3. Slowly Turn Away -- 4. Slowly and Casually Walk Away -- Steps for Exiting Conversations When You Initially Feel Accepted and Then Excluded -- 1. Keep Your Cool -- 2. Slowly Look Away -- 3. Wait for a Brief Pause in the Conversation -- 4. Give a Brief Cover Story for Leaving -- 5. Walk Away -- Steps for Exiting Conversations When You Feel Fully Accepted -- 1. Wait for a Brief Pause in the Conversation -- 2. Give a Speci. c Cover Story for Leaving -- 3. Tell Them You'll See or Speak to Them Later -- 4. Say Good-bye -- 5. Walk Away -- Success Story: Ryan Reads the Conversational Cues -- Exiting Conversations: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 6: Managing Electronic Communication -- Common Forms of Social Media.

Text Messaging -- Instant Messaging -- Video Chatting -- Social Networking Sites -- E-mail -- General Rules for Using Electronic Communication -- Don't Get Too Personal -- Use Cover Stories When Contacting People You Don't Know Well -- Use the Two-Message Rule -- Avoid Cold Calling -- Exchange Contact Information -- Rules for Using the Telephone -- Steps for Beginning Phone Calls -- Steps for Ending Phone Calls -- Steps for Leaving Voicemail -- Rules for Using the Internet Safely -- The Internet Shouldn't Be Used for Making New Friends for Teens -- Avoid Giving Contact Information to Strangers Online -- Use Privacy Settings on Social Networking Sites -- Don't Accept Friend Requests from Strangers -- Safety Suggestions for Online Dating for Adults -- Parent Social Coaching Tips for Online Safety -- Monitor Social Networking Sites and Online Activity -- Be Familiar with Textese -- Success Story: Steven Stays Safe Online -- General Rules For Using Electronic Communication: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 7: Showing Good Sportsmanship -- Rules for Good Sportsmanship -- Praise the Other Players -- Play by the Rules -- Share and Take Turns -- Don't Referee -- Don't Coach -- Don't Be Competitive -- Show Concern and Offer Help When Someone's Hurt -- Suggest a Change When Bored -- Don't Be a Sore Loser -- Don't Be a Bad Winner -- Say, "Good Game" at the End of the Game -- Success Story: Carter Can Be a Good Sport -- Rules For Good Sportsmanship: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 8: Enjoying Successful Get-Togethers -- Steps for Planning a Get-Together -- Who -- What -- Where -- When -- How -- Strategies for Preparing for a Get-Together -- Follow Up to Finalize Plans -- Make Sure Personal Space Is Presentable.

Put Away Personal Items -- Have Alternative Activities Available -- Steps for Beginning a Get-Together -- 1. Greet Your Guest -- 2. Invite Them In -- 3. Provide Introductions -- 4. Offer Refreshments -- 5. Give a Tour -- 6. Ask Your Guests What They Want to Do -- General Rules During a Get-Together -- Guests Pick the Activities -- Trade Information at Least 50 Percent of the Time -- Don't Ignore Your Friends -- Suggest a Change When Bored -- Defend Your Friends -- Steps for Ending a Get-Together -- 1. Wait for a Pause in the Activity -- 2. Give a Cover Story -- 3. Begin to Walk Your Friends to the Door -- 4. Thank Them -- 5. Tell Them You Had a Good Time -- 6. Tell Them You'll See or Speak to Them Later -- 7. Say Good-bye -- Success Story: Harry Hangs Out with Friends -- Enjoying Successful Get-Togethers: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- Part 3: The Science of Handling Peer Conflict and Rejection: Helpful Strategies -- 9: Dealing with Arguments -- Steps for Handling Arguments -- 1. Keep Your Cool -- 2. Listen to the Other Person -- 3. Repeat What the Person Said -- 4. Explain Your Side -- 5. Apologize -- 6. Try to Solve the Problem -- Success Story: Michael Makes Amends -- Dealing With Arguments: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 10: Handling Verbal Teasing -- Strategies for Handling Verbal Teasing -- Short Verbal Comebacks -- Nonverbal Comebacks -- Disengaging from Teasing -- Expect It to Get Worse Before It Gets Better -- Expect a Recurrence of the Teasing -- When to Avoid Using Teasing Comebacks -- Strategies for Using Embarrassing Feedback-A Gift in Disguise -- Success Story: Mark Manages Teasing -- Handling Verbal Teasing: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults.

Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 11: Addressing Cyber Bullying -- Strategies for Handling Cyber Bullying -- Don't Feed the Trolls -- Have Friends Stick Up for You -- Block the Cyber Bully -- Lay Low Online -- Save the Evidence -- Get Help from Supportive Adults When Needed -- Report Cyber Bullying to the Proper Authorities -- Success Story: David Doesn't Feed the Trolls -- Strategies For Handling Cyber Bullying: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 12: Minimizing Rumors and Gossip -- Tips for Avoiding Being the Target of Rumors and Gossip -- Avoid Being Friends with the Gossips -- Don't Provoke the Gossips -- Avoid Spreading Rumors and Gossip -- Strategies for Handling Rumors and Gossip -- Don't Try to Disprove the Rumor -- Don't Confront the Source of the Gossip -- Avoid the Source of the Gossip -- Don't Appear Upset -- Act Amazed People Believe or Care about the Rumor -- Spread the Rumor about Yourself -- Success Story: Shannon Spreads a Rumor about Herself -- Handling Rumors And Gossip: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 13: Avoiding Physical Bullying -- Strategies for Handling Physical Bullying -- Avoid the Bully -- Lay Low When the Bully Is Around -- Don't Provoke the Bully -- Don't Police the Bully -- Don't Try to Make Friends with the Bully -- Hang Out with Other People -- Stay Near Authority Figures When the Bully Is Around -- Get Help from a Supportive Adult When in Danger -- Success Story: Larry Lays Low -- Strategies For Handling Physical Bullying: Chapter Summary for Teens and Young Adults -- Chapter Exercises for Teens, Young Adults, and Parents -- 14: Changing a Bad Reputation -- Steps for Changing a Bad Reputation -- 1. Lay Low -- 2. Follow the Crowd -- 3. Change Your Look.

4. Own Up to Your Previous Reputation.