Brief report: sociometric status and behavioral characteristics of peer nominated buddies for a child with autism.

Teachers in two elementary classes asked kids to name three classmates they would pick as buddies for a new student with autism. The researchers then compared the traits of the nominated peers with traits of peers picked for a typical new boy.

Each nominated child was rated by teachers and classmates on helpfulness, smartness, popularity, and confidence.

For the child with autism, classmates chose peers who were helpful and smart but not the most popular kids. For the typical boy, they chose the confident, high-status, popular students.

In short, helpfulness trumped popularity when kids picked buddies for an autistic classmate.

Begeer et al. (2016) extends this peer-nomination method to middle-school bullying. They also found that classmates see autistic students the same way they see others, even though autistic students rate themselves as less helpful. The two studies together suggest peer views are steady across ages, while self-views may dip.

Buse et al. (2014) and Zablotsky et al. (2014) show that autistic students in fully inclusive rooms face more bullying. Our target paper hints at a partial fix: recruit the quiet helpers already in class instead of assuming the popular kids will step up.

Zhao et al. (2019) found that higher autistic traits in typical adults predict lower everyday helping. The classroom study flips the lens: when the child has autism, peers with average empathy—not super-social stars—are the ones who volunteer.

You do not need the coolest kid to run peer training. Look for the reliable, academically strong students who quietly help. They are more likely to say yes, stick with the program, and model calm, on-task behavior for your learner with autism.