TY - JOUR
T1 - Race, disability, and grade
T2 - Social relationships in children with autism spectrum disorders
AU - Azad, Gazi F.
AU - Locke, Jill
AU - Kasari, Connie
AU - Mandell, David S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health National Research Service Award (F32) (grant number 1-F32-MH101994), the Autism Science Foundation Research Enhancement Mini Grant (grant number REG 14-01), Autism Science Foundation Early Career Award (grant number 13-ECA-01L), FARFund Early Career Award, the National Institute of Mental Health (grant number 5-U54-MH-068172), the Autism Intervention Research Network in Behavioral Health from the Maternal and Child Health Research Program, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Combating Autism Act Initiative), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (grant number UA3 MC 11055).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2016.
PY - 2017/1/1
Y1 - 2017/1/1
N2 - Race is associated with social relationships among typically developing children; however, studies rarely examine the impact of race on social outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined how race (African American, Latino, Asian, or White) in conjunction with disability status (autism spectrum disorders or typically developing) and grade (grades K-2 or 3-5) affects friendships and social networks. The sample comprises 85 children with autism spectrum disorders and 85 typically developing controls matched on race, gender, age/grade, and classroom (wherever possible). Race, disability, and grade each had an independent effect on friendship nominations, and there was an interaction among the three variables. Specifically, children with autism spectrum disorders who were African American or Latino in the upper elementary grades received fewer friendship nominations than typically developing White children in the lower elementary grades. Only the presence of autism spectrum disorders was associated with social network centrality. Our results also suggested that Latino children with autism spectrum disorders in the upper elementary grades were at the highest risk of social isolation. Implications for re-conceptualizing social skills interventions are discussed.
AB - Race is associated with social relationships among typically developing children; however, studies rarely examine the impact of race on social outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined how race (African American, Latino, Asian, or White) in conjunction with disability status (autism spectrum disorders or typically developing) and grade (grades K-2 or 3-5) affects friendships and social networks. The sample comprises 85 children with autism spectrum disorders and 85 typically developing controls matched on race, gender, age/grade, and classroom (wherever possible). Race, disability, and grade each had an independent effect on friendship nominations, and there was an interaction among the three variables. Specifically, children with autism spectrum disorders who were African American or Latino in the upper elementary grades received fewer friendship nominations than typically developing White children in the lower elementary grades. Only the presence of autism spectrum disorders was associated with social network centrality. Our results also suggested that Latino children with autism spectrum disorders in the upper elementary grades were at the highest risk of social isolation. Implications for re-conceptualizing social skills interventions are discussed.
KW - autism
KW - autism spectrum disorders
KW - friendship
KW - race
KW - social network
KW - social relationships
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U2 - 10.1177/1362361315627792
DO - 10.1177/1362361315627792
M3 - Article
C2 - 26966285
AN - SCOPUS:85002732315
SN - 1362-3613
VL - 21
SP - 92
EP - 99
JO - Autism
JF - Autism
IS - 1
ER -