It is observed that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face barriers when establishing peer connections at school. Another interesting thing was that the people who used social networks were also more connected to their peers in the face to face settings. The study was done to explore how social network inclusion in the classroom is associated with playground peer engagement.
Independent observers administered friendship surveys. The purpose of the surveys was to determine social network inclusion in the classroom and recorded the playground engagement states of 55 children with ASD from 42 general education classrooms in 16 public elementary schools in the northeastern United States. Linear regression models were used to examine associations between social network inclusion and playground engagement.
The study concluded through its findings that there is an association between social network inclusion and playground engagement. Children who were included to a greater degree in their classrooms’ social network spent more time engaged with peers on the playground. These findings highlight the importance of supporting social interactions in multiple contexts in schools.
Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1088357619838275
