Classmates' Social Interest toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics
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| Title: | Classmates' Social Interest toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mati Zakai-Mashiach (ORCID |
| Source: | Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. 2026 41(2):82-93. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Preschool Education Elementary Education Kindergarten Primary Education |
| Descriptors: | Peer Relationship, Foreign Countries, Individual Characteristics, Preschool Children, Preschool Education, Kindergarten, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Interpersonal Competence, Theory of Mind, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Social Status |
| Geographic Terms: | Israel |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10883576251407601 |
| ISSN: | 1088-3576 1538-4829 |
| Abstract: | This study explored the demographic and social characteristics of children in understanding their spontaneous social interest toward autistic classmates. Participants were 193 Israeli children without disabilities, ages 3 to 6 years, in 16 inclusive preschool/kindergarten classrooms. Teachers and educational aides each nominated socially interested students and rated all students' social interests toward the included classmate. Results indicated that socially interested children were younger, more often boys, had a more advanced social profile (less aggression, more shyness, and more prosocial behaviors), and showed better performance on theory of mind tasks than their peers who were not socially interested in the autistic classmates. Identifying peers without disabilities who show social interest toward the included children can optimize the involvement of peers without disabilities as change agents in inclusive educational environments and promote the social inclusion of autistic students. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503954 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | This study explored the demographic and social characteristics of children in understanding their spontaneous social interest toward autistic classmates. Participants were 193 Israeli children without disabilities, ages 3 to 6 years, in 16 inclusive preschool/kindergarten classrooms. Teachers and educational aides each nominated socially interested students and rated all students' social interests toward the included classmate. Results indicated that socially interested children were younger, more often boys, had a more advanced social profile (less aggression, more shyness, and more prosocial behaviors), and showed better performance on theory of mind tasks than their peers who were not socially interested in the autistic classmates. Identifying peers without disabilities who show social interest toward the included children can optimize the involvement of peers without disabilities as change agents in inclusive educational environments and promote the social inclusion of autistic students. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1088-3576 1538-4829 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10883576251407601 |
