Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
Mandatory Fields
Christian Ryan , Maeve Coughlan , Jean Maher , Patricia Vicario and Alison Garvey
2020
Unknown
European Journal Of Special Needs Education
Perceptions of friendship among girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Published
()
Optional Fields
Friendships have a central importance in childhood and adolescence, and the friendship demands on girls with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be higher than for boys. Few previous studies have exam- ined the experiences of friendship from the perspective of girls with ASD. A qualitative focus group methodology was used with ten ado- lescent girls with a con!rmed diagnosis of ASD. The results indicate the high importance of friendship to the participants, with themes emer- ging about friendship establishment, how friendships transcend con- texts, the experience of con"ict in friendships, and friendship loss. The role of social media and mobile phone use on friendships was also examined. The themes that emerged in this study concur with, and elaborate on, the emerging literature on girls with ASD. The risks to friendships of school transitions and weak texting skills both emerged as potential targets for interventions to support girls with ASD during adolescence.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2020.1755930
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