Predicting friendship quality in autism spectrum disorders and typical development

Nirit Bauminger, Marjorie Solomon, Sally J. Rogers

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    84 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The role played by social relationship variables (attachment security; mother-child relationship qualities) and social-cognitive capacities (theory of mind) was examined in both observed friendship behaviors and in children's descriptions of friendships (age 8-12) with high functioning children with autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) (n = 44) and with typical development (TYP) (n = 38). Overall, half of the HFASD sample (54.45%) reported maternal attachment security, corroborating data from younger children with ASD. The hypothesized predictors and their interrelations had both direct and indirect effects on friendship for both groups of children, highlighting the importance of these factors in children's friendship development and suggesting both compensatory and amplification mechanisms for friendship qualities. Practical and clinical implications are discussed for friendship support in both ASD and TYP.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)751-761
    Number of pages11
    JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
    Volume40
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Jun 2010

    Bibliographical note

    Funding Information:
    Acknowledgments This research was supported by a grant from the United States—Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) to Drs. Rogers and Bauminger. The authors would like to express their appreciation to Dee B. Ankonina for her editorial contribution and to Dov Har-Even for his statistical consultation.

    Funding

    Acknowledgments This research was supported by a grant from the United States—Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) to Drs. Rogers and Bauminger. The authors would like to express their appreciation to Dee B. Ankonina for her editorial contribution and to Dov Har-Even for his statistical consultation.

    FundersFunder number
    Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentK12HD051958
    United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation

      Keywords

      • Asperger syndrome
      • Attachment
      • Friendship
      • HFASD
      • Theory of mind

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