Social participation and its relation to internalizing symptoms among youth with autism spectrum disorder as they transition from high school.
Julie Lounds Taylor, Ryan E Adams, Somer L Bishop
PMID 27739234WHAT IT FOUND
Structured social activities dropped significantly after high school, while unstructured time with friends stayed stable.
Youth with more internalizing symptoms in high school became more socially isolated after exit. Prior structured participation predicted gains in unstructured social contact later.
Key findings
01Participation in structured social activities declined significantly after high school exit, whereas unstructured social activity levels did not change significantly.
02Higher levels of internalizing symptoms while in high school predicted greater declines in both structured and unstructured social participation after exit.
03Youth who participated in more structured activities during high school showed significantly greater increases in unstructured social participation after leaving school.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (36 families), which limits statistical power and generalizability. Data relied entirely on parent report, which may miss social interactions parents are unaware of and may not accurately capture internal states. The sample lacked socio-economic and racial/ethnic diversity, being predominantly white, non-Hispanic, and well-resourced. There was no comparison group of typically developing youth or youth with other disabilities. The measures of social participation had low internal consistency, making it difficult to detect subtle effects.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the lack of significant change in average unstructured social participation as stability for all individuals. The study found high variability: while some youth lost contact with friends after high school, others gained it. The key driver of this divergence was internalizing symptoms, not the transition itself.