A Neuro-Affirming Exploration of Friendships, Social Strengths, and Social Interactions for Autistic Youth and Young Adults

Authors

Abstract

Background: Difficulties with social interactions is a core trait of autism and can play a significant role in a child’s overall developmental trajectories. Yet, little is known about autistic children’s friendship values, as social skills interventions have long targeted these interaction-based difficulties by measuring outcomes that rate dimensions of children’s current friendships (i.e. friendship characteristics), rather than addressing what children are looking for in a friend (i.e. friendship values). As such, this study aims to provide neuro-affirming reappraisal of how friendships are examined in autistic youth by seeking to understand what friendship values, models of friendship, and friendship skills are reported amongst autistic youth and young adults.Methods: Qualitative interview-based methodology was used to understand what is desired in autistic friendships. 10 autistic adolescents (ages 10-16), their caregivers, and 15 autistic adults participated in 45-minute interviews. A team of three autistic adults composed a community-participatory board and held shared decision making power on the design and implementation of the study. Reflexive thematic analysis will be used to inductively identify common themes among the responses, basing the findings from the tenants of critical disability theories and neuro-affirming suggestions. Results: In adolescent and caregiver samples, participants described their ideal friendships, indicating a distinction between friendship traits (e.g. demographic, interests, how much time they spend together, etc.) and their values (i.e. moral and personality value) and how they differ amongst individual. Specifically, their differing role in friendship formation v. maintenance and connection is examined in a theoretical model in conjunction with the idea of satisfaction of friendship. The young adult sample spoke about how being authentic in a friendship is against the nature grain of neurotypical social norms that are embedded within what they understand of friendships, despite these norms sometimes poorly representing the parts of an actual friendship that they are actually looking for. Additionally, these results reinforce the idea that individualized friendship measures that center around satisfaction or happiness with friendship is the only way to accurately determine whether someone’s friendships needs are being met. Discussion: In conclusion, this study will aim to explore the social needs of autistic individuals through a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach.

No cited bibliography is currently integrated for this reference. This does not necessarily mean that no bibliography exists.