A Comparative Study of Self-Efficacy, Loneliness, and Well-Being in Adolescents Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Specific Learning Disorder.

Kiliç Tülü et al. (2026) looked at 733 Israeli elementary students. Some had specific learning disorders, some were neurotypical.

They asked: what predicts teacher-rated social skills? They checked grades, behavior problems, the LD label itself, and loneliness.

Good grades and fewer behavior problems predicted better social skills. The LD label alone did not.

Loneliness mattered, but only for boys. Girls' social skills were not tied to feeling lonely.

Chen (2024) extends this picture. In Taiwan, peer-mediated play groups inside inclusive classes boosted social play for kids with autism and ADHD. Both studies show the classroom setting, not the diagnosis, shapes social outcomes.

Chan et al. (2017) seems to clash at first. Hong Kong kids with SpLD reported more self-stigma and lower quality of life. Burcu's team found the LD label did not sway teacher ratings. The gap is method: Yi asked the kids; Burcu asked the teachers. Kids feel the stigma, but teachers watch achievement and behavior.

Collin et al. (2013) backs the focus on supports over labels. High-quality IEPs, not child traits, best predicted goal attainment for autistic students. Burcu says the same for SpLD: target academics and behavior in goals, not the label.

Write IEP goals that build academic and behavioral skills, not goals that try to fix the LD label. Check boys for loneliness and give them peer buddies. Girls may need different supports. Share the finding with teachers: expect social growth when you boost reading or reduce disruptive behavior, regardless of the diagnosis.