Using personal construct methodology to explore relationships with adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Let autistic teens describe friendship with picture cards, then build social goals around their own words.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Murphy et al. (2017) sat down with autistic teens and used personal-construct interviews. These are open, picture-card talks that let kids describe friends in their own words.
The team wanted to learn what friendship feels like for adolescents on the spectrum. No tests, no drills—just listening.
What they found
Four clear themes popped out: shared fun, trust, help, and feeling different. Teens said they want pals who like the same games and who do not trick them.
The method worked. Kids who rarely share feelings opened up when they could sort cards and tell stories.
How this fits with other research
Ingersoll et al. (2006) got similar views from one teen years earlier. Their case study also showed that autistic adolescents value loyalty and family help to keep friends.
Bang et al. (2013) seems to disagree. Their lab task found autistic youth use fewer personal stories and mental-state words than peers. The gap is method: Janet used short, scripted prompts; Mark used long, visual PCT chats. Give teens the right tool and they talk.
Whaling et al. (2025) extends the story into adulthood. Autistic adults with no close ties report lower quality of life. Mark’s teen themes forecast who might fall into that lonely group later.
Why it matters
You can borrow the card-sort interview in your next social-skills intake. Ask the teen to pick photos that show “a good friend” and “not a friend.” Use their words to write goals that matter to them—like finding a gaming buddy or a lunch pal who keeps secrets. When goals fit their own story, motivation jumps.
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Join Free →Bring a stack of photos showing kids in different play scenes. Ask your client to sort them into “my kind of friend” and “not my kind of friend,” then write one goal that matches the “my kind” pile.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Research shows that adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience difficulties developing friendships, and that loneliness is a significant factor contributing to higher incidence of anxiety and depression within this population. AIMS: This study aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of relationships as described by adolescents with ASD, and, from these descriptions, to explore what can be inferred about the development of successful interpersonal relationships for these individuals. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: Eight adolescents with ASD participated in semi-structured interviews using established personal construct theory (PCT) techniques. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: PCT was found to be a helpful approach to elicit rich, qualitative data. A thematic analysis identified four themes: relationships as a source of support, perceptions of similarity and difference, valued qualities in self and others, and the development and maintenance of relationships. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Whilst this exploratory study highlighted some commonality in terms of perceptions of family support and friendships as protective and desirable, participants differed in their ability to establish and maintain peer relationships. Participants valued personal qualities such as intelligence, humour and trust within relationships, and recognised the important role of peers and siblings in the development of social skills, a finding which has implications for the delivery of social skills training and other interventions. The study provides empirical support for the application of personal construct methodologies in ASD research and offers a potentially useful approach to therapeutic intervention.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.08.006