Sari Novika Purnama, Luijk Maartje P C M, Prinzie Peter, van IJzendoorn Marinus H, Jansen Pauline W
Department Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2021 Nov 22;15(1):67. doi: 10.1186/s13034-021-00421-2.
Children with autism have difficulties in understanding relationships, yet little is known about the levels of autistic traits with regard to peer relationships. This study examined the association between autistic traits and peer relationships. Additionally, we examined whether the expected negative association is more pronounced in children with a lower non-verbal IQ and in those who exhibit more externalizing problems.
Data were collected in a large prospective birth cohort of the Generation R Study (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) for which nearly 10,000 pregnant mothers were recruited between 2002 and 2006. Follow up data collection is still currently ongoing. Information on peer relationships was collected with PEERS application, an interactive computerized task (M = 7.8 years). Autistic traits were assessed among general primary school children by using the Social Responsiveness Scale (M = 6.1 years). Information was available for 1580 children.
Higher levels of autistic traits predicted lower peer acceptance and higher peer rejection. The interaction of autistic traits with externalizing problems (but not with non-verbal IQ or sex) was significant: only among children with low externalizing problems, a higher level of autistic traits predicted less peer acceptance and more peer rejection. Among children exhibiting high externalizing problems, a poor peer acceptance and high level of rejection is seen independently of the level of autistic traits.
We conclude that autistic traits-including traits that do not classify as severe enough for a clinical diagnosis-as well as externalizing problems negatively impact young children's peer relationships. This suggests that children with these traits may benefit from careful monitoring and interventions focused at improving peer relationships.
患有自闭症的儿童在理解人际关系方面存在困难，但关于自闭症特征在同伴关系方面的程度却知之甚少。本研究调查了自闭症特征与同伴关系之间的关联。此外，我们还研究了这种预期的负相关在非言语智商较低以及表现出更多外化问题的儿童中是否更为明显。
数据收集于荷兰鹿特丹开展的“R世代研究”这一大型前瞻性出生队列，在2002年至2006年间招募了近10000名孕妇。随访数据收集目前仍在进行中。通过PEERS应用程序（一种交互式计算机任务，平均年龄M = 7.8岁）收集同伴关系信息。使用社会反应量表（平均年龄M = 6.1岁）对普通小学儿童的自闭症特征进行评估。共获得了1580名儿童的信息。
自闭症特征水平较高预示着同伴接纳度较低和同伴排斥度较高。自闭症特征与外化问题（而非非言语智商或性别）的交互作用显著：仅在外化问题较少的儿童中，较高水平的自闭症特征预示着同伴接纳度较低和同伴排斥度较高。在表现出较高外化问题的儿童中，无论自闭症特征水平如何，都存在较差的同伴接纳度和较高的排斥度。
我们得出结论，自闭症特征——包括那些严重程度不足以进行临床诊断的特征——以及外化问题会对幼儿的同伴关系产生负面影响。这表明具有这些特征的儿童可能会从针对改善同伴关系的仔细监测和干预中受益。
