Social Networks and Friendships at School: Comparing Children With and Without ASD (original) (raw)
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Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2014
This study examines the social relationships of elementary school children with high-functioning autism, focusing on how gender relates to social preferences and acceptance, social connections, reciprocal friendships, and rejection. Peer nomination data were analyzed for girls with and without ASD (n = 50) and boys with and without ASD (n = 50). Girls and boys with ASD were matched by age, gender, and IQ. Each child with ASD was matched by age and gender to a typically developing classmate. Consistent with typically developing populations, children with ASD preferred, were accepted by, and primarily socialized with same-gender friends. With fewer nominations and social relationships, girls and boys with ASD appear more socially similar to each other than to the same-gender control group. Additionally, girls and boys with ASD showed higher rates of social exclusion than their typically developing peers. However, boys with ASD were more overtly socially excluded compared to girls with...
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2010
Background: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement.Methods: Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 randomly selected, gender-matched peers (88.6% male) in 75 early (K-1), middle (2nd–3rd), and late (4th–5th) elementary classrooms across 30 schools completed social network surveys examining each child’s reciprocal friendships, peer rejection, acceptance, and social involvement.Results: Across grade levels, peers less frequently reciprocated friendships with children with ASD than students in the matched sample. While children with ASD were not more likely to be rejected by peers, they were less accepted and had fewer reciprocal friendships than matched peers at each grade level. Although 48.1% of children with ASD were involved in the social networks of their classrooms, children with ASD were more likely to be isolated or peripheral to social relationships within the classroom across all grade levels, and this difference is even more dramatic in later elementary grades.Conclusions: In inclusive classrooms, children with ASD are only involved in peers’ social relationships about half of the time, and appear to be even less connected with increasing grade level. Promoting children with ASD’s skills in popular activities to share with peers in early childhood may be a key preventive intervention to protect social relationships in late elementary school grades.
Social integration of children with and without ASD in their first school year
Studia Doctoralia, 2020
The present research presents the results of a cross-sectional study on the relationships among developmental level at the beggining of the first school year, interpersonal relationships, and social abilities at the end of the first school year, in children with and without ASD. The participants were 120 children, 60 diagnosed with ASD and 60 with typical development aged 6 to 7 years, M = 6.27, AS = .20, of which 78 boys (65%) and 42 girls (35%). The instrument used for the measurement of developmental level was Portage Psychomotor Development Scale (Bluma et al., 1976), social skills were measured with 17 items of the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) (Gresham & Elliott, 1990), and the quality of relationships with others was measured with four items of the Sense of Relatedness Questionnaire (Furrer& Skinner, 2003). Two hierarchical regression analyses were ran, with three steps each. The results showed that child-peer relationship and also child-teacher relationship could dimini...
Social involvement of children with autism spectrum disorders in elementary school classrooms
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2010
Background-Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement. Methods-Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 randomly-selected, gender-matched peers (88.6% male) in 75 early (K-1), middle (2 nd-3 rd), and late (4 th-5 th) elementary classrooms across 30 schools completed social network surveys examining each child's reciprocal friendships, peer rejection, acceptance, and social involvement. Results-Across grade levels, peers less frequently reciprocated friendships with children with ASD than students in the matched sample. While children with ASD were not more likely to be rejected by peers, they were less accepted and had fewer reciprocal friendships than matched peers at each grade level. Although 48.1% of children with ASD were involved in the social networks of their classrooms, children with ASD were more likely to be isolated or peripheral to social relationships within the classroom across all grade levels, and this difference is even more dramatic in later elementary grades. Conclusions-In inclusive classrooms, children with ASD are only involved in peers' social relationships about half of the time, and appear to be even less connected with increasing grade level. Promoting children with ASD's skills in popular activities to share with peers in early childhood may be a key preventive intervention to protect social relationships in late elementary school grades.
This article describes a qualitative examination of the interactions between 2 students, 1 with autism and 1 with a developmental disability, and their peers without disabilities in 2 inclusive, public school elementary classrooms in the northeastern United States. Data were collected by naturalistic observation, semi-structured observation, and semi-structured interviews. Examining the quality and quantity of interactions, as well as the facilitating effects of educators, the goal was to identify conditions that support the development of friendship opportunities. The findings indicated that inclusive education and having classmates who accepted them were not enough to result in consistent friendship opportunities for the 2 focal students. Findings included (a) the identification of missed opportunities for educator intervention to support friendship opportunities, and (b) the success of several educator strategies to facilitate friendship opportunities. Implications and considerations to improve conditions to support friendship opportunities in inclusive elementary classrooms are shared.
Perceived loneliness and social competence were assessed for 127 children with ASD without comorbid ID, 4–7 years old, through child self-report. Using an abbreviated version of the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Questionnaire (LSDQ; Cassidy and Asher in Child Dev 63:250–365, 1992), the majority of children reported friendships, yet a considerable proportion also reported social difficulties. Factor analysis of the abbreviated LSDQ identified three factors, which were significantly associated with parent-and teacher-reported variables. Regression analyses revealed parent-reported social skills deficits and teacher-reported conflict in the student–teacher relationship to be associated with child-reported loneliness. Implications for practice are discussed.
Non-reciprocal Friendships in a School-Age Boy with Autism: The Ties that Build?
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2018
This mixed-methods study examined differences in social interaction patterns between a school-age boy with autism and his friends, non-reciprocal friends, and non-friends during recess time at a mainstream school (third grade of elementary school). Through a combination of observational methodology and social network analysis with an idiographic, follow-up and multidimensional design approach, we used lag sequential and polar coordinate analysis to ascertain the associations between various interactive behaviors as a function of type of friendship relation. After 40 sessions, we found that the non-reciprocal friendship relations of the boy with autism could have significantly greater potential than his reciprocal friendships to increase active engagement and reduce the time he spent alone during recess.
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2010
By definition, children with autism have poor peer relationships despite age and ability. When children enter adolescence, social problems typically worsen and feelings of loneliness and isolation may emerge. Thus, the overarching goal of the current study is to examine the social–emotional relationships of adolescents with autism and their typically developing (TD) classmates. Participants included 20 adolescents, 7 adolescents with autism and 13 TD classmates. All participants were enrolled in a drama class at a regular education high school in the Los Angeles area. Results indicate that adolescents with autism experienced significantly more loneliness than their TD classmates, had significantly poorer friendship quality in companionship and helpfulness, and had significantly lower social network status than their TD classmates. In addition, 92.4% of TD adolescents had secondary or nuclear social network centrality, which means that those adolescents were significantly connected and recognised in their classroom social structure although 71.4% of the adolescents with autism were either isolated or peripheral in their classroom. These findings imply that although inclusion in regular classrooms may allow adolescents with autism to be involved in the social structure of their classroom, they experienced more loneliness, poorer friendship quality and social network status as compared with their classmates. These results suggest that, perhaps, more intensive social skills' interventions that focus on friendship development are needed in adolescents with autism.
Involvement or Isolation? The Social Networks of Children with Autism in Regular Classrooms
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2007
Including children with autism in regular classrooms has become prevalent; yet some evidence suggests such placements could increase the risk of isolation and rejection. In this study, we used social network methods to explore the involvement of children with autism in typical classrooms. Participants were 398 children (196 boys) in regular 2nd through 5th grade classes, including 17 children (14 boys) with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome. Children reported on friendship qualities, peer acceptance, loneliness, and classroom social networks. Despite involvement in networks, children with autism experienced lower centrality, acceptance, companionship, and reciprocity; yet they did not report greater loneliness. Future research is needed to help children with autism move from the periphery to more effective engagement with peers.