Friendship in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder: mixed and non-mixed dyads.

The team watched high-functioning kids with autism play with two kinds of partners. One group played with typically developing friends. The other group played with friends who also had disabilities.

Researchers coded each move of the play. They looked for shared smiles, turn-taking, and pretend play.

Kids in mixed pairs—autism plus typical—looked almost like typical friends. They traded ideas and kept the game going.

Kids in non-mixed pairs stayed in simpler play. They echoed more and shared less.

Bauminger et al. (2003) first showed that half of these friendships are mixed and happen mostly at home. The new study adds detail: the play itself is richer.

Chen et al. (2022) seems to disagree. In free-choice school networks, autistic youth picked other autistic peers. The gap is setting. The 2008 paper watched planned playdates. Chen mapped lunch-table choices.

Singer-Dudek et al. (2021) backs the boost. Just seating autistic kids with typical classmates cut stereotypy and raised real talk.

You can raise the bar by pairing autistic clients with typical buddies. Set up turn-taking games and coach both partners. Keep sessions short, fun, and face-to-face. The peer does half the work for you.