A comparative study of the spontaneous social interactions of children with high-functioning autism and children with Asperger's disorder.
High-functioning autism and Asperger's kids show the same social-initiation level—both lower than peers yet still capable of spontaneous contact.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Dyer et al. (2006) watched kids play during free time.
They compared three groups: high-functioning autism, Asperger's, and typically developing peers.
Observers counted how often each child started social contact without being asked.
What they found
The autism and Asperger's groups looked the same.
Both started fewer conversations and games than typical kids.
Yet every child showed some spontaneous social moves, proving the skill is there.
How this fits with other research
Bauminger et al. (2008) extends this picture. They saw that high-functioning autistic kids paired with typical friends act almost typical, while those paired with other disabled kids stay flat.
Ghaziuddin et al. (2004) is a predecessor that hunted for IQ gaps between the two labels. They found small verbal boosts in Asperger's, but overlap was large — matching the social overlap Kathleen found.
Porter et al. (2008) sweep up these findings in a review. They warn that most social-skills programs lack proof, so observe first, intervene second.
Why it matters
Stop splitting hairs between high-functioning autism and Asperger's on your caseload. Plan goals for the child, not the label. Watch who they play with; mixed friendships can lift social sparks. If you run a social group, pair autistic kids with typical peers and measure what happens.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A comparative observational study was undertaken of the spontaneous social interactions of children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder. The sample comprised 20 children with high-functioning autism, 19 children with Asperger's disorder and 17 typically developing children matched on chronological age and overall mental age. A one-zero time sampling technique was used in live coding of the children's spontaneous social and play behaviours in the schoolyard. Few differences were found between children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's disorder on the dimensions of social interaction investigated. In contrast, the social behaviour of both clinical samples often deviated markedly from that of the typically developing children. The findings confirmed that although children with high-functioning autism or Asperger's disorder are often socially isolated relative to their typically developing peers, they are capable of spontaneously engaging socially with other children. The results were supportive of the hypothesis that Asperger's disorder is on a continuum with autistic disorder.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2006 · doi:10.1177/1362361306062026