Journal article
Sex differences in friendships and loneliness in autistic and non-autistic children across development
Molecular autism, v 14(1), pp 9-12
24 Feb 2023
PMID: 36829214
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
BackgroundAutistic children have been shown to have less complete definitions of friendships and higher levels of loneliness than their non-autistic peers. However, no known studies have explored sex differences in autistic children's understanding of friendships and reported loneliness across development. Autistic girls demonstrate higher levels of social motivation than autistic boys and appear to "fit in" with their peers, but they often have difficulty recognizing reciprocal friendships during middle childhood. As autistic girls develop a more complex understanding of friendship during adolescence, they may begin to redefine their friendships and experience heightened loneliness. Here, we explored how autistic and non-autistic boys and girls define the meaning of friendship and report feelings of loneliness across development. We also examined their perceptions of friendships and loneliness.MethodsThis mixed-methods study analyzed the transcribed clinical evaluations of 58 autistic children (29 girls) matched to 42 non-autistic children (21 girls) on age and IQ. Transcripts were coded for four categories that children used to define friendships-personality, companionship, dependability, and intimacy-and for reported loneliness. We then compared these codes across diagnosis, sex, and age. Content analyses were further implemented to gain a more holistic understanding of children's perceptions of friendships and loneliness.ResultsGirls, regardless of diagnosis, were more likely than boys to refer to personality when defining the meaning of friendship, and the likelihood of referring to dependability and intimacy increased with age. Most children reported having at least one friend, though some autistic adolescents reported not having friends or were uncertain whether they had friends. While autistic and non-autistic boys and girls were equally likely to report feeling lonely at times, several autistic girls and boys reported being frequently lonely.LimitationsThis study was a secondary data analysis. The standardized set of questions on the ADOS limited the amount of information that children provided about their friendships and perceptions of loneliness.ConclusionAs with non-autistic children, autistic children acquire a more complex understanding of friendship throughout development. However, as children begin to prioritize dependability and intimacy in friendships, autistic adolescents may have difficulty developing friendships characterized by these constructs. Furthermore, the quantity and/or quality of autistic children's friendships may not be sufficient to alleviate loneliness.
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Details
- Title
- Sex differences in friendships and loneliness in autistic and non-autistic children across development
- Creators
- Natalie Libster - UCLA, Dept Educ, 457 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024 USAAzia Knox - Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaSelin Engin - Center for Autism and Related DisordersDaniel Geschwind - Center for Autism and Related DisordersJulia Parish-Morris - Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaConnie Kasari - Center for Autism and Related Disorders
- Publication Details
- Molecular autism, v 14(1), pp 9-12
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- R01DC018289 / NIDCD; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute on Deafness & Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) MH57167; MH066469; 2R01MH100027-11 / NIMH; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) UA3MC110055 / HRSA; United States Department of Health & Human Services; United States Health Resources & Service Administration (HRSA) RO1HD65291; P50HD055784 / NIH; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA HD3548201 / NICH
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000939483200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85148963484
- Other Identifier
- 991022160123304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Genetics & Heredity
- Neurosciences