Many autistic youths experience restricted school participation. The present study investigated the influences of youth, family and school factors on autistic youths’ school participation. Parents of 200 Dutch autistic youths (age range: 4–16 years, M age = 12.23 years, SD age = 2.93 years) filled in questionnaires in a national survey for autistic individuals, reporting the school participation, age and autistic traits of their child, parents’ education level and self-efficacy for supporting their child’s schoolwork, and the impact of problems their child experienced with the physical and social environments of the school. Multivariate linear regression analysis using imputed data revealed that among the six predictor variables, only the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was negatively associated with their school participation. This study provided support for the essential role of the school environment in predicting autistic youths’ school participation, indicating that problematic aspects in the school environment could have a greater impact on autistic youths’ school participation than youth factors or family factors. This highlights the need to create a more accommodating environment at school, where autistic youths can participate easily and comfortably.@en

School-based interventions for socially including autistic pupils in mainstream schools were systematically reviewed. Included interventions targeted at least one level of the school environment: the autistic children, the peers, the staff, and/or the physical environment, and assessed autistic pupils’ quantity and/or quality of social participation as outcome measures. Findings from 56 studies showed increased accessibility of school activities to autistic pupils, but the reciprocity and friendship between the autistic pupils and the peers were not necessarily improved. Moreover, limited interventions were available for modifying the physical environment. A more holistic strategy that moves the focus from individual children’s social skills to the larger context surrounding children, should be considered for a better inclusion of autistic children in school routine.

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Autistic children are often reported less socially connected, while recent studies show autistic children experiencing more loneliness in school than allistic (i.e. non-autistic) children, contradicting the traditional view that autistic children lack social motivation. This study aimed to understand individual differences in how social connectedness is construed, between and within groups of autistic and allistic pupils, using a multimethod approach. Forty-seven autistic and 52 neurodiverse-allistic classmates from two special primary schools participated (8–13 years). Proximity sensors worn by pupils on playgrounds during recess measured (1) total time in face-to-face contacts, (2) number of contact partners, and (3) centrality in playground networks. Peer reports measured (4) reciprocal friendships and (5) centrality in classmate networks. To evaluate their feelings of connectedness, pupils rated the level of loneliness in school. Compared with allistic pupils, autistic pupils had fewer reciprocal friendships, but similar total time in social contacts, number of partners, classmate/playground centrality, and levels of loneliness. Lower levels of loneliness related to higher classmate centrality in autistic children, but longer time in social contacts in allistic children. For these autistic children, being liked as part of a peer group seems essential. Understanding relevant differences in children’s needs could lead to a more welcoming school climate.@en

Social connectedness at school is crucial to children's development, yet very little is known about the way it has been affected by school closures during COVID-19 pandemic. We compared pre-post lockdown levels of social connectedness at a school playground in forty-three primary school-aged children, using wearable sensors, observations, peer nominations and self-reports. Upon school reopening, findings from sensors and peer nominations indicated increases in children's interaction time, network diversity and network centrality. Group observations indicated a decrease in no-play social interactions and an increase in children's involvement in social play. Explorative analyses did not reveal relations between changes in peer connectedness and pre-lockdown levels of peer connectedness or social contact during the lockdown period. Findings pointed at the role of recess in contributing to children's social well-being and the importance of attending to their social needs upon reopening.

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