Social struggles for teens with autism
by Beth
Results of a study called Participation in Social Activities among Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder will come as no surprise to parents of teens who have autism. After studying more than 11,000 middle and high school-age students in special education, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found that teens with autism (especially the ones who have problems with conversational skills) are less likely than other students to spend time with friends or have a social life.
The thing I found interesting — and disturbing — about this study was that the adolescents with autism had more social problems than kids with intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities and speech impairments. Nearly half of the students with autism in this study said they never saw friends outside of school. Let me say that again. A majority, more than half, said they have never, ever been with a friend outside of school. A story on the Washington University newsroom site quotes Paul Shattuck, PhD, autism expert and assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University:
“It appears that experiences with peers are more likely to occur one-on-one, and perhaps at home rather than in the community,” he says.
Shattuck notes that limited or absent peer relationships can negatively influence health and mental health, especially during the teen years.
“One mechanism for promoting social relationships is by fostering participation with peers in group activities such as clubs, scouting, or sports,” Shattuck says.“Only one-third of adolescents with an ASD are accessing such opportunities, and there is an obvious need for greater supports and services to promote community inclusion for this population,” he says.
Social challenges are part of being an adolescent, but when you add autism to the mix the challenges can become even more complex. Easter Seals is a service provider. It is our job to support individuals with autism and other disabilities in their efforts to lead quality lives. Dr. Shattuck’s data serves as a reminder that we have a lot of work to do to ensure individuals with autism get the support they need to make friends and enjoy the rich social life that our culture associates with adolescence. Read the full study here.