Isolation or involvement? The social networks of children with autism included in regular classes.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The inclusion of children with high-functioning autism in regular classes is often advocated, with the intention of improving the children's repertoire of social skills, and their acceptance by typical peers. However, unsatisfactory integration into the classroom social networks could jeopardize the proposed benefits of inclusion, possibly increasing the risks of isolation, peer rejection, loneliness, and poor quality friendships. In this study, social network clustering methods were used to characterize children's involvement, or “centrality”, in classroom social structures. Social network data were gathered on 14 children with high-functioning autism (11 boys), and 250 non-autistic classmates (120 boys), in regular 2<super>nd</super> to 4<super>th</super> grade classes. The participants with autism and 186 classmates (81 boys) also completed self-report data on friendship qualities and loneliness, and made friendship nominations. 14 same-gender peers (11 boys), one randomly selected from each class, formed a comparison group. Peer clusters and centrality measures indicated that, although children with autism were not isolated, they were generally less prominent than peers in the social networks. In addition, the autistic group showed lower levels of peer acceptance, companionship, and reciprocal friendships than their peers; yet they reported no greater experiences of loneliness. There was wide variation in social network centrality, from nuclear to peripheral; one child with autism received the highest centrality score in her class. Generally, however, the children with autism tended to demonstrate a lack of social awareness, an obliviousness to social cues, that could even serve as a protective factor. Children with autism saw themselves as more socially involved than their peers did; they nominated more friends than nominated them; and their loneliness scores were unrelated to their social network centrality levels. Classmates' efforts to involve a child with autism may backfire if the child comes to be seen as a burden; however, peer groups providing a broad base of social network support may be more resilient in helping fulfill the developmental functions of friendship. Future research is needed to focus on fostering the development of network supports over time, to help bring peripherally involved children into rich patterns of social interaction.