The Relationship Between Social Acceptance, Problem Behaviours, and Social Skills as Perceived by Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

The current study examined the relationships among social acceptance and perceived social skills, internalizing and externalizing behaviours, and friendships in youth with autism spectrum disorders. Forty participants aged 6 to 14 years self-reported on all of the above-mentioned variables except friendships. Social acceptance was found to be positively correlated with social skills and number of friends in school, and negatively correlated with internalizing behaviours. This study highlights the possible pathways to positive feelings of social acceptance in youth with autism spectrum disorders.