Children on the autism spectrum: a study of social interactions in school

Ana Luísa Fernandes Pereira da Silva is a speech therapist and Preciosa Fernandes is a professor of Psychology in Portugal. In this paper, the authors explored how children with autism interact with their neurotypical peers in a school setting, what features might make this more difficult and how the experience can be improved. They found that in group settings, children with autism sometimes have difficulties with conversation, maintaining social relationships and participating in symbolic play. The authors showed that if their neurotypical peers were accepting and encouraging, the children with autism were more likely to be included in activities. This led to children on the autism spectrum becoming more comfortable in these settings and spending more time in these groups later on. The authors advocate helping neurotypical children understand the features of autism, so that they can be more accepting in their play. This is a small study, but it highlights some important factors which can lead to a better experience in school for children with autism.