Loneliness and Friendship in High‐Functioning Children with Autism

Abstract

Loneliness and friendship were examined in 22 high-functioning children with autism and 19 typically developing children equated with the autistic children for IQ, CA, gender, mother's education, and ethnicity. Children between the ages of 8 and 14 were asked to report on both their understanding and feelings of loneliness and the quality of their friendship. Compared to typically developing children, children with autism were both lonelier and had less complete understandings of loneliness. Although all children with autism reported having at least one friend, the quality of their friendships was poorer in terms of companionship, security, and help. Fewer associations were found between loneliness and friendship for the autistic than for the non-autistic children, suggesting less understanding of the relation between loneliness and friendship. Implications of these results are discussed for conceptualizing the social deficits in autism.

Brief Report: Examining the Link Between Autistic Traits and Compulsive Internet Use in a Non-Clinical Sample

“…Despite their reluctance to real life interactions, autistic traits are not linked to a desire to be socially excluded. On the contrary, children with a clinical diagnosis of ASD often experience feelings of loneliness (Bauminger et al 2003).…”

Friendship in High-functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Mixed and Non-mixed Dyads

“…Parents' reports have also demonstrated that friendship is indeed a rare phenomenon in children with ASD compared to those with typical development (e.g., Church et al 2000;Howlin et al 2004;Koning and Magill-Evans 2001;Orsmond et al 2004). However, researchers have documented that highfunctioning children with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) in middle childhood and adolescence often have at least one friend, particularly for children with less impaired social interaction capabilities (e.g., Bauminger and Kasari 2000;Koning and Magill-Evans 2001;Orsmond et al 2004). Furthermore, loneliness was reported in the absence of friendship in high-functioning children during preadolescence and adolescence (e.g., Bauminger and Kasari 2000).…”

“…However, researchers have documented that highfunctioning children with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) in middle childhood and adolescence often have at least one friend, particularly for children with less impaired social interaction capabilities (e.g., Bauminger and Kasari 2000;Koning and Magill-Evans 2001;Orsmond et al 2004). Furthermore, loneliness was reported in the absence of friendship in high-functioning children during preadolescence and adolescence (e.g., Bauminger and Kasari 2000). Nevertheless, except for the understanding that friendship is rare in ASD, we know little about its nature (e.g., characteristics, behavioral manifestations and friendship dyadic qualities).…”

Social Interaction Style of Children and Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Indeed, empirical studies on peer interaction of children with ASD have repeatedly shown that children with ASD show less social play, fewer social interactions, and lack reciprocal friendships compared to typically developing children (Bauminger et al 2003;Hauck et al 1995;Kasari et al 2011;Macintosh and Dissanayake 2006;Sigman and Ruskin 1999). However, considerable individual differences have also been documented between children with ASD in the quality and quantity of interaction with peers (Kasari et al 2011;Sigman and Ruskin 1999).…”

“…Research has already shown that children with high-functioning ASD (HFASD) are generally more active in initiating of and responding to social interactions and show more developmental progress in social interaction skills than children with ASD and an intellectual disability (Bauminger et al 2003;Eagle et al 2010). Furthermore, aloofness could be confounded by an intellectual disability given the overlap in characteristics (e.g.…”