Autistic Traits and Sociometric Assessment: a Pilot Study

Background: Although autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with marked social impairment, almost no empirical research has been devoted to understanding the actual impact of ASD symptoms on children’s social standing within naturally-occurring peer groups.  This knowledge is important for identifying the symptoms that are most salient and problematic in the peer group, both for designing interventions and for evaluating treatment outcome. 

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to provide a first look at the use of sociometric methodology in obtaining direct information from peers regarding the social impact of autistic traits.

Methods: The sample included 19 school-aged children enrolled in an after-school program.  Sociometric assessment was conducted with each child and autistic traits were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale.

Results: We found significant associations between overall symptoms of ASD and both social acceptance and social visibility.  As expected, we found that higher levels of autistic traits are associated with greater peer dislike. The results also demonstrated that specific types of symptoms are associated with more negative effects in the peer group.

Conclusions: Sociometric assessment appears to be a feasible and informative approach for examining the impact of autistic traits on real-world peer relations. These results have implications for both treatment and future studies.