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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
Language: English
Authors: Mati Zakai-Mashiach (ORCID 0000-0001-6621-6531), Michal Al-Yagon, Esther Dromi
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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  Value: <anid>AN0193226601;fdd01jun.26;2026Apr27.04:52;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0193226601-1">Classmates' Social Interest Toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics </title> <p>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.</p> <p>Keywords: inclusion; peers without disabilities; preschool; theory of mind; ToM; social profile; moral self; autism</p> <p>Inclusion of young autistic children (see [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref1">4</reflink>]) in general education classrooms, from preschool onward, has become a more common practice worldwide ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref2">21</reflink>]). A successfully inclusive educational environment encourages a sense of belonging, positive social relationships, and friendships among children with and without disabilities ([<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref3">50</reflink>]). However, the considerable social and communication challenges characterizing young children with autism ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref4">2</reflink>]), as well as the continuing systemic barriers and dissatisfying social experiences reported by children with disabilities in inclusive settings ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref5">24</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref6">62</reflink>]), often require concentrated efforts on the part of educational staff and other professionals to promote effective mutual social interactions.</p> <p>To date, most studies that attempted to promote the social skills of autistic children have focused on older school-age children or adolescents rather than on preschoolers ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref7">22</reflink>]). Several studies that did take steps toward this goal focused mainly on the included children, whereby their peers without disabilities served as "delivery agents" of the intervention ([<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref8">57</reflink>]). Their participation in this role was implemented through social interaction programs, such as peer-mediated instruction and interventions ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref9">14</reflink>]), preschool peers social intervention (PPSI) ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref10">6</reflink>]), and peer tutoring ([<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref11">37</reflink>]). In other words, to facilitate an effective socially inclusive environment, the included child's peers were assigned the potentially important role of social partners for change ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref12">30</reflink>]). In line with the social-ecological model, the social inclusion of autistic students in the general education system needs to be supported by multilevel factors such as nondisabled peers, parents, educators, and administrators. ([<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref13">38</reflink>]). Therefore, in the current study, we suggest that preliminary identification and recruitment of nondisabled peers who spontaneously reach out to the included autistic child could add momentum to and enhance the effectiveness of social inclusion in preschool ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref14">26</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref15">63</reflink>]).</p> <p>Despite this trend of relying on the role of nondisabled peers in intervention programs, research on their characteristics is scarce, particularly in the preschool context. Existing studies have predominantly centered around the school environment (i.e., [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref16">46</reflink>]). In the school context, the willingness of nondisabled peers to volunteer as "peer buddies" in social intervention programs for autistic children that have been included in their class has been linked to their proclivity for social engagement with classmates in general ([<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref17">36</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref18">39</reflink>]). Moreover, nondisabled peers selected by teachers as peer models for autistic students exhibited more stable social connections and higher-quality friendships with peers compared to their nonselected classmates ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref19">39</reflink>]). It was also reported that female students were selected by teachers more often than their male counterparts to serve as peer tutors for the included children ([<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref20">40</reflink>]).</p> <p>To facilitate the social participation of autistic children in the classroom, the current study extended the research to preschool ages, intending to explore the relationship between the personal and social characteristics of nondisabled peers and their spontaneous social interest (or lack thereof) toward the autistic child. This study examined several characteristics of peers without disabilities from preschool through kindergarten: demographic characteristics (sex and age), mentalization abilities (theory of mind [ToM]), peer social behavior profile, social status, and moral self-concept.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-2">Demographic Characteristics (Sex and Age)</hd> <p>Previous research on school-age students has suggested that females often express more favorable attitudes toward peers with disabilities (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref21">9</reflink>]) and that younger schoolchildren often demonstrate more positive attitudes than children in higher grades ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref22">46</reflink>]). However, to the best of our knowledge, existing studies have not attempted to link young children's spontaneous social interest toward an autistic child to background factors such as sex and age.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-3">Theory of Mind</hd> <p>Prior studies have demonstrated that preschoolers without disabilities have a stronger ability to theorize about peers' internal feelings and thoughts (i.e., ToM ability) was associated with their more advanced prosocial, social communication, and peer interaction skills ([<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref23">28</reflink>]). In addition, a previous study demonstrated that children without disabilities, ages 3 to 4 years, with better ToM scores, manifested higher levels of spontaneous social interest toward an autistic child in their preschool class ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref24">64</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-4">Profile of Social Behavior</hd> <p>Outside the context of the inclusion setting, [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref25">59</reflink>] identified a three-part "profile of peer relations" (PPR), consisting of (a) prosocial behaviors, (b) aggression, and (c) withdrawal and shyness. Researchers have shown that preschoolers who exhibit prosocial behaviors are generally less aggressive ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref26">19</reflink>]) and more likely to maintain positive peer relationships than children who display aggressive behaviors ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref27">56</reflink>]).</p> <p>Research on shyness and its relationship to prosocial behavior with peers has been inconsistent. On one hand, studies highlight that shy children often experience difficulties in social interactions, including being rated as having fewer prosocial abilities and encountering challenges in forming friendships ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref28">7</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref29">8</reflink>]), with teachers tend to rate shy children lower in prosocial skills, often perceiving them as less socially competent ([<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref30">65</reflink>]). On the other hand, other research suggests that shyness may not always result in social deficits. For example, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref31">8</reflink>] provide a more nuanced perspective, emphasizing that shy children can often better form intimate relationships with one or two friends, demonstrating that shyness can contribute to meaningful peer connections. Moreover, studies show that shy children tend to be rated by teachers in terms of compliance ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref32">8</reflink>]), cooperation, and self-control ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref33">48</reflink>]). These children are often more likely to follow classroom rules, respond positively to teacher directions, and contribute to a more harmonious classroom environment ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref34">48</reflink>]).</p> <p>To date, there is limited research on the characteristics of children without disabilities in relation to their interactions with autistic classmates, particularly regarding those who exhibit spontaneous social interest toward autistic children. Research by [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref35">29</reflink>] and [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref36">39</reflink>] focused on students selected as peer models for interventions with autistic classmates. They found that these children exhibited more prosocial behavior than their nonselected peers. Despite these findings, our understanding of the specific social characteristics that distinguish children without disabilities who demonstrate spontaneous social interest toward their autistic peers from those who remain indifferent is still limited.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-5">Social Status</hd> <p>Research has shown that teachers in elementary schools tend to select children considered popular in the classroom when identifying children without disabilities as change agents for peer-mediated intervention ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref37">39</reflink>]). Moreover, children in an elementary school rated by peers as "socially rejected" tend to report more negative attitudes toward autistic children and are less willing to engage with them compared to children rated as "highly socially accepted" ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref38">13</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-6">Moral Self-Concept</hd> <p>Empirical studies have demonstrated that a moral self-concept significantly promotes preschool children's adaptive social functioning ([<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref39">34</reflink>]). In particular, it has been associated with empathy, compassion, fairness, willingness to help, and the ability to care for others ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref40">32</reflink>]). Researchers recently reported that middle school children without disabilities with a better-developed moral identity predicted less negative attitudes toward included children with disabilities ([<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref41">54</reflink>]).</p> <p>To summarize, we noted the increasing trend to include autistic children in inclusive classes, the role assigned to peers as social agents who can facilitate the productive social participation of included children, the findings on young children's mental and social abilities, and the paucity of studies on the characteristics of potential peer change agents of preschool ages. In light of this state of affairs, it is essential to examine the characteristics that may qualify classmates as optimal facilitators of the much-needed social interaction between autistic children and their peers.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-7">The Current Study</hd> <p>The present study aimed to comprehensively explore social and personal characteristics that may be specifically associated with the spontaneous social inclinations demonstrated by children in inclusive settings across the preschool/kindergarten age span (ages 3 to 6 years old). Specifically, this study had two research questions: (a) What are the effects of age and sex on children without disabilities' spontaneous social interest toward an autistic classmate? (b) How do ToM, peer social behavior (prosocial, aggressive, and shyness), social status, and moral self-concept differ between children without disabilities who show spontaneous social interest toward the autistic classmate and those who exhibit social indifference?</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-8">Method</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0193226601-9">Participants</hd> <p>A total of 193 children (95 boys, 98 girls; see Table 1), ages 38 to 77 months (<emph>M</emph> = 60.98, <emph>SD</emph> = 9.66), attended 16 inclusive public classes in similar urban areas in Israel. Following the age division of the Israeli public education system, the sample was divided into three age groups, as shown in Table 1: (a) 34 early preschoolers (14 boys, 20 girls) ages 3 to 4 years old (38–52 months), (b) 80 middle preschoolers (40 boys, 40 girls) ages 4 to 5 years old (53–64 months), and (c) 79 kindergartners (41 boys, 38 girls) ages 5 to 6 years old (65–77 months). According to preschool records, none of the participants had developmental or medical difficulties or any diagnosed disabilities. Parental reports indicated that all participants were from middle-class families.</p> <p>Table 1. Sample Distribution (Numbers and Percentages) by Age, Sex, and Social Interest.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><colgroup><col align="left" /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /></colgroup><thead><tr><th /><th align="center" colspan="6">Age group</th><th /><th /><th /></tr><tr><th /><th align="center" colspan="2">Early preschool38–52 mo. (<italic>n</italic> = 34)</th><th align="center" colspan="2">Middle preschool53–64 mo. (<italic>n</italic> = 80)</th><th align="center" colspan="2">Kindergarten65–77 mo. (<italic>n</italic> = 79)</th><th align="center" colspan="2">Total <italic>n</italic> (%) by sex</th><th /></tr><tr><th align="center">Social interest group</th><th align="center">Boys</th><th align="center">Girls</th><th align="center">Boys</th><th align="center">Girls</th><th align="center">Boys</th><th align="center">Girls</th><th align="center">Boys</th><th align="center">Girls</th><th align="center">Total <italic>n</italic> (%) by nomination group</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Socially interested</td><td>10</td><td>2</td><td>13</td><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>27</td><td>15</td><td>42</td></tr><tr><td /><td colspan="2">12 (35.3%)</td><td colspan="2">20 (25.0%)</td><td colspan="2">10 (12.7%)</td><td>(28.4%)</td><td>(15.3%)</td><td>(21.7%)</td></tr><tr><td>Socially indifferent</td><td>4</td><td>18</td><td>24</td><td>27</td><td>31</td><td>31</td><td>59</td><td>76</td><td>135</td></tr><tr><td /><td colspan="2">22 (64.7%)</td><td colspan="2">51 (63.8%)</td><td colspan="2">62 (78.5%)</td><td>(62.1%)</td><td>(77.6%)</td><td>(70.0%)</td></tr><tr><td /><td colspan="2">0 (0%)</td><td colspan="2">9 (11.2%)</td><td colspan="2">7 (8.8%)</td><td>(9.5%)</td><td>(7.1%)</td><td>(8.3%)</td></tr><tr><td>Nonagreement</td><td>—</td><td align="center">—</td><td>3</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>9</td><td>7</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>14</td><td>20</td><td>40</td><td>40</td><td>41</td><td>38</td><td>95</td><td>98</td><td>193</td></tr><tr><td>Total after excluding the nonagreement group</td><td>14</td><td>20</td><td>37</td><td>34</td><td>35</td><td>37</td><td>86</td><td>91</td><td>177</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 <emph>Note.</emph> The nonagreement group was excluded from further data analysis.</p> <p>Each of the 16 inclusive classes attended by the study participants included only one autistic child. The 16 autistic children in these inclusive classes (14 boys and two girls) ranged in age from 48 to 82 months (<emph>M</emph> = 66.8 months, <emph>SD</emph> = 8.82 months). Before their placement in the inclusive preschool setting, they had been diagnosed on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by licensed clinical psychologists, using <emph>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</emph> (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref42">1</reflink>]) criteria equivalent to the later ASD diagnosis of the <emph>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders</emph> (5th ed.; DSM-V; [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref43">2</reflink>]). All autistic children were eligible for clinical services, which they received outside their preschool/kindergarten. They were additionally accompanied by a teaching aide to support their inclusion in the classroom. The teaching aides utilized the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) questionnaire ([<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref44">45</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref45">49</reflink>]) to assess the severity of autism. The CARS rates autism severity on a scale from 1 (<emph>no autism</emph>) to 4 (<emph>severe autism</emph>). In our sample, 62% of autistic children received a rating of "2," indicating "<emph>mild autism</emph>," while 35% received a rating of "3," signifying "<emph>moderate autism.</emph>"</p> <p>In addition, the head teacher and the included child's teaching aide in each preschool/kindergarten participated in the study. The 16 head teachers (15 females and one male) each held a formal degree in early childhood education (82% had a bachelor's degree, and 17% had a master's degree). The 16 teaching aides (all females) each supported one autistic student, per the children's right to receive 30 weekly hours of personal assistance to enhance their experience attending an inclusive preschool ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref46">43</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-10">Measures</hd> <p>The teacher completed four instruments for each participating child without disabilities: social interest nominations, Social Interest Questionnaire (SIQ), PPR, and social status. The teaching aide accompanying the autistic child completed two instruments: social nominations and the SIQ. Additionally, each participant underwent two testing procedures. Spontaneous social interest was assessed by the nominations of socially interested children in the class and a specific SIQ (refer to [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref47">64</reflink>]). By employing both instruments, it was aimed to determine whether the child exhibited social interest toward the autistic child (yes or no) and assess the level of social interest (ranging from 1 = <emph>lack of social interest</emph> to 5 = high <emph>social interest toward the autistic child</emph>) as further described in this section. Table 2 provides an overview of the measures used in the study and the informers associated with each variable.</p> <p>Table 2. Study Measures and Corresponding Information Sources.</p> <p>Graph</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><colgroup><col align="left" /><col align="char" char="." /><col align="char" char="." /></colgroup><thead><tr><th align="left">Study variables</th><th align="center">Measurement tools</th><th align="center">Information sources</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2">Social interest/indifferent</td><td>Social interest nominations</td><td rowspan="2">Teachers and teaching aides of the autistic classmates</td></tr><tr><td>Social Interest Questionnaire (SIQ; Zakai-Mashiach et al., 2017).</td></tr><tr><td>Social profile</td><td>Profile of Peer Relations (PPR; <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr59">Walker, 2005</xref>).</td><td rowspan="2">Teachers</td></tr><tr><td>Social status</td><td>Popularity (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr5">Austin, 1984</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td>Theory of Mind (ToM)</td><td>The five-task ToM Scale (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr61">Wellman & Liu, 2004</xref>)</td><td rowspan="2">Children without disability</td></tr><tr><td>Moral self-concept</td><td>The Moral-Self Interview (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr33">Kochanska, 2002</xref>)</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>2 <emph>Note.</emph> All measures contribute to exploring the social characteristics of nondisabled children who participated in the study.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-11">Social Interest Nominations</hd> <p>As a first step, the preschool teachers and the included child's teaching aides were asked to mark next to each child's name on the class roster whether they viewed the child as socially interested in or indifferent toward the autistic classmate. The teachers' and aides' responses were then separately coded as a binary variable, where "nominated" indicated social interest and "not nominated" indicated social indifference (see [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref48">64</reflink>], for a description of this procedure in a smaller sample). As shown in Table 1, the two informants' assessments concurred on 91.7% of the sample. Teachers and aides identified 42 participants (21.7%) as socially interested and 135 participants (70.0%) as socially indifferent. This yielded a Cohen's kappa of.80 (<emph>p</emph> <.001), indicating strong agreement ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref49">42</reflink>]). However, as shown in Table 1, the teachers and aides disagreed with 16 participants (8.3% of the sample, seven girls and nine boys). These 16 participants were therefore excluded from analyses that compared the nomination-based "socially interested" group (<emph>n</emph> = 42) with the nonnominated "socially indifferent" group (<emph>n</emph> = 135).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-12">Social Interest Questionnaire</hd> <p>The second step was to ask the head teachers and the aides to complete the SIQ ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref50">64</reflink>]). This 11-item questionnaire measures how each child without disabilities displayed spontaneous social interest toward the included child during everyday peer engagement situations in the class. This questionnaire consists of items such as "The peer invited the autistic child to play together and 'The peer tried to share toys, snacks, etc. with the autistic child," which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from <emph>never</emph> (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref51">1</reflink>) to <emph>usually</emph> (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref52">5</reflink>), yielding a range of scores from 11 to 55. Higher scores indicated more social interest toward the included child. Reliability was high for teachers' ratings (Cronbach α =.97) and aides' ratings (α =.95). Pearson's correlation coefficient was analyzed between teachers' and aides' SIQ ratings. Findings revealed a significant correlation between the two informants, <emph>r</emph> =.83, <emph>p</emph> <.001. A <emph>t</emph>-test for dependent samples indicated no significant difference between teachers' and aides' SIQ ratings, <emph>t</emph>(<reflink idref="bib192" id="ref53">192</reflink>) =.49, <emph>p</emph> >.05. Hence, the two informant groups were combined for all further analysis of the SIQ data (α =.97).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-13">Profile of Social Behaviors With Peers</hd> <p>To assess each participant's social behaviors with various peers in the class (not referring specifically to the included child), the teachers completed the 25-item PPR ([<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref54">59</reflink>]). Teachers assessed each participating child's characteristic social behavior on three subscales: (a) aggression (nine items, e.g., "Becomes physically aggressive in response to conflict," α =.92); (b) prosocial (10 items, e.g., "Engages in cooperative play with peers" α =.87); and (c) withdrawal and shyness (six items, e.g., "Gives in or minimizes requests in conflict," α =.63). Using a 5-point Likert scale, items were rated from <emph>rarely</emph> (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref55">1</reflink>) to <emph>almost always</emph> (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref56">5</reflink>).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-14">Social Status</hd> <p>To evaluate each participant's popularity, teachers completed three items ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref57">5</reflink>]) interspersed randomly within the PPR questionnaire. They rated them on the same 5-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater popularity. The items ("Is popular with peers," "Other children play with him/her in the classroom," and "Other children play with him/her on the playground") showed high reliability (α =.91).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-15">ToM Test</hd> <p>The five-task ToM Scale ([<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref58">61</reflink>]) was administered to all children participating in the study. This widely used scale, employing small toy figures and color pictures, assessed ToM abilities in preschoolers. The tasks measured participants' ability to understand (a) diverse desires, (b) knowledge access, (c) diverse beliefs, (d) false beliefs, and (e) hidden emotions. Each task had control and target questions in a forced-choice format, counterbalanced choices, and binary scoring (1 = <emph>correct</emph>, 0 = <emph>incorrect</emph>). The total ToM score, ranging from 0 to 5, was calculated as the mean across all tasks (for more details, see [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref59">64</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib67" id="ref60">67</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-16">Moral Self-Concept Test</hd> <p>The Moral-Self Interview ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref61">33</reflink>]) was conducted with each participant to assess children without disabilities' moral self-concept. In the interview, 31 moral situations are presented using two puppets matched to the participant's sex. For each moral situation, participants indicate the puppet with whose attitude they identified most: either the puppet demonstrating lower-end behaviors (e.g., "When I break something, I hide it and do not tell anyone"; scored 0) or the puppet demonstrating higher-end behaviors (e.g., "I do tell someone if I break something"; scored 2). Choosing both behaviors was optional ("Sometimes I am like puppet A and sometimes like puppet B") and scored 1. Total scores ranged from 0 to 62, where higher scores reflected a higher moral self-concept. Cronbach's alpha was.65.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-17">Procedure</hd> <p>After obtaining the necessary approvals and consent from the parents and the institutional review board, the first author administered the ToM and moral self-concept tasks individually to each participant in a quiet room at each preschool/kindergarten. The administration of all tasks lasted an average of 25 minutes. At the beginning of each session, the first author introduced herself and explained that they would engage in some games she brought from home. Children were informed that they could request a break or discontinue participation at any time. Tasks were conducted playfully, using age-appropriate equipment to ensure a comfortable and engaging experience. All children whose parents consented to participate were willing and actively engaged in the study. During the preschoolers' free time, teachers completed the four instruments for each participant while aides filled out two instruments.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-18">Results</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0193226601-19">Preliminary Analysis</hd> <p>To validate the nomination-based grouping, we first conducted a <emph>t</emph>-test to assess differences in SIQ scores between the nomination-based socially interested and socially indifferent groups (using the combined data for teachers and aides). Findings revealed a significant difference in SIQ scores between the two groups of children without disabilities, <emph>t</emph>(<reflink idref="bib175" id="ref62">175</reflink>) = −16.47, <emph>p</emph> <.001, with significantly higher SIQ scores given by staff to the socially interested group (<emph>M</emph> = 3.68, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.82) compared with the socially indifferent group (<emph>M</emph> = 1.7, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.63).</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-20">The Relation Between Social Interest/Indifference and the Variables of Age and Sex</hd> <p>To address the first question, the initial step was to assess whether age was associated with the social interest of children without disabilities toward the included child. A crosstab analysis was conducted on the teachers' and aides' binary social interest nominations to examine the relationship between the three age groups and the nominated social interest/indifference groups. A significant association emerged, χ<sups>2</sups>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref63">2</reflink>)= 7.13, <emph>p</emph> <.05, indicating that the percentage of children considered by the staff to exhibit social interest toward the autistic child decreased with age: from 35% among early preschoolers to 28% among middle preschoolers, and down to only 10% among the kindergartners (see Table 1). Univariate Remove zeros for <emph>p</emph> values, reliability, and correlations (ANOVA) analysis of the SIQ rating also indicated a significant main effect for age, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref64">2</reflink>,<reflink idref="bib187" id="ref65">187</reflink>) = 5.47, <emph>p</emph> <.01, η²=.048. The post hoc Scheffe procedure revealed that this significant age difference arose from the preschool staff's SIQ ratings, showing that children in the youngest age group ages (38–52 months, <emph>M</emph> = 2.65, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.19) were significantly more socially interested in the included child compared to the oldest age group of kindergartners (65–77 months, <emph>M</emph> = 2.12, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.98). Together, these findings—nominations and SIQ ratings—suggest the same pattern of decline in spontaneous social interest toward the autistic child as a function of chronological age.</p> <p>The next step was to determine whether the sex of children without disabilities was associated with the degree of social interest toward the autistic child. A crosstab analysis examined the relationship between sex and the nominated social interest/indifference groups. A significant association emerged, χ<sups>2</sups>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref66">1</reflink>) = 3.89, <emph>p</emph> <.05, indicating that among the children whom the staff considered to exhibit social interest toward the autistic child, the percentage of boys (61.9%) was higher than that of girls (38.1%). Moreover, the percentage of boys who were indicated by the staff as expressing social indifference toward the autistic child was lower (44.4%) than that of girls (55.6%).</p> <p>The univariate ANOVA conducted on the SIQ ratings revealed a significant main effect for sex, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref67">1</reflink>, 187) = 4.07, <emph>p</emph> <.05, η<sups>2</sups> =.021. Thus, boys were rated as expressing higher levels of spontaneous social interest toward the autistic child (<emph>M</emph> = 2.44, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.17) compared to girls (<emph>M</emph> = 2.32, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.05). However, a significant interaction emerged between age and sex on the SIQ ratings, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref68">2</reflink>, 187) = 5.29, <emph>p</emph> <.001, η2 =.054 (see Figure 1). Independent <emph>t-</emph>tests revealed a significant sex difference in spontaneous social interest toward the autistic child only in the youngest group, ages 38 to 52 months, <emph>t</emph>(<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref69">32</reflink>) = 3.05, <emph>p</emph> <.001. In this early preschool group, boys were rated as expressing greater social interest (<emph>M</emph> = 3.32, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.02) than girls (<emph>M</emph> = 2.19, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.09). No significant differences emerged between boys and girls in the middle preschool or kindergarten groups.</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Interaction Between Age Group and Sex on the Spontaneous Social Interest of Nondisabled Children Toward Autistic Peers Note. N = 177.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-21">Personal and Social Characteristics of Socially Interested Versus Socially Indifferent Groups</hd> <p>To address the study's second question, a comparison was made between the personal characteristics of children without disabilities in the socially interested and socially indifferent groups. To this end, a two-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted with staff-nominated social interest/indifference grouping as the independent variable and the child's characteristics (ToM abilities; prosocial, aggressive, and shy/withdrawn social behaviors; social status; and moral self) as the dependent variables, while controlling for age. The MANCOVA revealed a significant overall difference between the socially interested and the socially indifferent groups, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref70">6</reflink>,<reflink idref="bib167" id="ref71">167</reflink>) = 5.22, <emph>p</emph> <.001, η<sups>2</sups> =.15. Univariate analysis of covariances (ANCOVAs) indicated significant differences between socially interested and socially indifferent groups on all three subscales of the children's peer social behavior profile. Children nominated to the socially interested group showed significantly higher prosocial behavior scores (<emph>M</emph> = 3.47, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.77) compared to those in the socially indifferent group (<emph>M</emph> = 3.07, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.71), <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref72">1</reflink>, 177) = 11.66, <emph>p</emph> <.001, η<sups>2</sups> =.064. Preschoolers also showed significantly less aggressive behavior in the socially interested group (<emph>M</emph> = 1.36, <emph>SD</emph> =.46) than in the socially indifferent group (<emph>M</emph> = 1.60, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.64), <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref73">1</reflink>, 177) = 5.27, <emph>p</emph> <.05, η<sups>2</sups> =.03. Additionally, children nominated to the socially interested group exhibited significantly more shy/withdrawn behaviors (<emph>M</emph> = 1.82, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.57) compared to those in the socially indifferent group (<emph>M</emph> = 1.67, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.62), <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref74">1</reflink>,<reflink idref="bib177" id="ref75">177</reflink>) = 2.86, <emph>p</emph> <.05, η<sups>2</sups> =.02.</p> <p>Univariate ANCOVAs also revealed a significant group difference in children's ToM abilities, <emph>F</emph>(<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref76">1</reflink>, 177) = 3.06, <emph>p</emph> <.05, η<sups>2</sups> =.02, where preschoolers nominated to the socially interested group had significantly higher ToM scores (<emph>M</emph> = 3.35, <emph>SD</emph> = 0.95) than their counterparts in the socially indifferent group (<emph>M</emph> = 3.32, <emph>SD</emph> = 1.28). However, no significant group differences emerged for children's popularity scores or levels of moral self-concept.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-22">Discussion</hd> <p>The initial primary purpose of this study was to expand knowledge about the characteristics of young peers without disabilities who show spontaneous social interest toward autistic children in their classes. We found that the degree of peers' spontaneous social interest declined with age from the early preschool years through kindergarten. Namely, the percentage of children in the classroom who demonstrate spontaneous social interest toward an included child was shown to drop as children got older. Moreover, younger peers exhibited a higher degree of social interest than older children, especially among boys.</p> <p>The findings regarding the <emph>decline in the degree of peers' spontaneous social interest in the included child</emph> support findings of a prior study conducted with older school-age children, which reported a reduction in their willingness and enthusiasm to include autistic classmates as they got older ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref77">46</reflink>]). The current finding is somewhat contrary to earlier findings, which indicated that children engage in helping, cooperative, and sharing behavior (i.e., prosocial behavior) in everyday interactions from early childhood and that these behaviors increase in frequency and complexity in middle childhood to early adolescence ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref78">18</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref79">41</reflink>]). However, another study that examined the development of prosocial behaviors indicated that starting at mid-childhood, children may become more selective in their prosocial choices and behaviors ([<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref80">60</reflink>]). Additionally, the decline in social interest with age might be related to the gaps between the competencies of children with and without disabilities, which are relatively more minor during preschool ([<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref81">47</reflink>]). In this developmental phase, children tend to exhibit greater flexibility in their awareness and sensitivity to physical differences and varying levels of abilities (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref82">25</reflink>]). Therefore, it is plausible that among the youngest age groups, the autistic child may not be perceived as having a disability. Consequently, more children without disabilities may exhibit spontaneous social interest toward them. However, as children grow older, their awareness of acceptable versus unacceptable behaviors intensifies, making them more discerning of their classmates whose behaviors deviate from the accepted norm ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref83">27</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref84">46</reflink>]).</p> <p>Our findings—that only a minority of children without disabilities tend to approach autistic children and that their social interest is highest at early ages—imply that educators, policymakers, and researchers need to continue the empirical examination of these early settings' opportunities for real social engagement. A renewed focus on these young children's social development in the classroom may be considered even more crucial in light of educational curricular reforms in recent decades that have shifted focus toward preschoolers' academic performance in areas such as reading, writing, and arithmetic ([<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref85">31</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref86">53</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref87">66</reflink>]).</p> <p>Several reasons may explain our finding that <emph>more boys than girls expressed a spontaneous social interest</emph> toward the included child, especially at younger ages. First, the current differences between boys' and girls' social interests may be related to the sex of the autistic child in their class. In our study, most of the included children (87%) were boys, in line with the expected sex distribution of children given an autism spectrum diagnosis ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref88">23</reflink>]). Young children's preference for same-sex play, where boys tend to initiate play with other boys and girls with other girls ([<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref89">12</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref90">58</reflink>]), may explain the more significant proportion of boys to girls who were nominated as demonstrating social interest in the included autistic boys.</p> <p>Another possible explanation for why the educational staff identified more young boys than girls as exhibiting a spontaneous social interest in the included child may be related to preferred games and play styles. Preschool and kindergarten girls usually play symbolic and sociodramatic games, focusing on relationships with play partners ([<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref91">12</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref92">58</reflink>]), whereas preschool boys tend to play more physical and nonverbal games and may be more willing than girls to invite other boys from outside their familiar peer group to join their play ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref93">16</reflink>]; [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref94">58</reflink>]). It may be that young autistic children are less socially challenged in physical games than in more complex symbolic preschool activities that require imagination and language. Therefore, they participate more in boys' play activities that are easier for them.</p> <p>Our results suggest that children identified as socially interested in autistic children were perceived as having a distinct <emph>social profile</emph> compared to nonnominated children. Even when age was controlled, their teachers rated these socially interested children as displaying higher levels of prosocial behavior, such as helping and cooperating with others, which might indicate a more reserved or thoughtful approach to social interactions. Additionally, teachers rated the socially interested group as displaying more shy behavior. These findings contrast with the arguments that often associate shyness with a lack of social engagement ([<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref95">65</reflink>]). However, they align with other studies that highlight the positive aspects of shyness ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref96">48</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref97">4</reflink>] explains that cultural values significantly shape how children's behaviors, including shyness, are evaluated. In individualistic societies, shyness is frequently viewed as a challenge or deficit, often linked to social withdrawal and reduced engagement. In contrast, collectivist societies tend to interpret shyness more positively, associating it with social sensitivity and adaptability traits. In these contexts, shy behavior is often indicative of social competence. In Israeli society, teachers are considered more collectivist ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref98">3</reflink>]). This may explain why educators in this study view shyness positively, seeing it as a trait that helps children have spontaneous social interest toward their autistic peers. This perspective underscores the influence of cultural values on how educators perceive and evaluate shy behavior. Furthermore, the socially interested groups were perceived as less aggressive than their nonnominated peers. The more outgoing and aggressive children who were less willing to give in during conflictual situations were also less likely to regularly approach, sit near, or initiate play interactions with the included child.</p> <p>The current study's findings extend the similar results obtained in earlier studies concerning elementary- and secondary-school-age children (e.g., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref99">39</reflink>]). Identifying optimal candidates who spontaneously reach out to the included child based on their social profile will allow early childhood teachers to encourage and strengthen these children, thus facilitating the included child's social participation positively and cost-effectively.</p> <p>The higher <emph>ToM scores</emph> we identified among preschoolers in the socially interested group, compared to those obtained in the socially indifferent group, validated previous research results, which were based on a much smaller group of participants and assessed ToM abilities alone ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref100">64</reflink>]). [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref101">52</reflink>] found that children without disabilities who were educated in an inclusive environment in primary schools demonstrated better ToM development than their peers who were educated in a noninclusive setting. The current study results support the claim that this may also be true for much younger preschool children. It seems that a more heterogeneous environment may enhance social cognition and increase the understanding of others from as young as 3 to 4 years old. Based on this observation, we suggest creating a diverse environment for young preschoolers to allow them to learn more about others' minds.</p> <p>The <emph>moral self-concept</emph> of children did not significantly differentiate the two nomination-based social interest groups. This finding aligns with [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref102">35</reflink>], who also found no association between elementary school children's moral self-concept and their moral behaviors in the context of immoral events. Our current data do not determine how young children's moral self translates from a generally prosocial mindset to real-time social interest behaviors. From a theoretical perspective, Piaget's stages of moral development suggest that children of this study's age are in the <emph>heteronomous morality</emph> stage, where moral judgments are shaped by rules and authority rather than autonomous reasoning. Similarly, Kohlberg's <emph>pre-conventional</emph> stage highlights that young children are primarily motivated by consequences (reward or punishment) rather than a developed moral framework ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref103">17</reflink>]). These developmental stages may explain why the moral self-concept measured here does not directly predict social behaviors, as these behaviors are likely more context-dependent and influenced by external factors than internalized principles. Further research is needed to explore this connection, especially in interactions between preschoolers and their autistic peers.</p> <p>The assessment of <emph>social status (popularity)</emph> by teachers' judgments revealed no significant differences between the two nomination-based social interest groups. Relying exclusively on teachers for popularity evaluations was based on their suitability, as suggested by [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref104">15</reflink>]. However, this indirect assessment method may lack representativeness in identifying popular classmates among young children. Disparities in peer popularity categorization, influenced by factors like social desirability, as noted by [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref105">20</reflink>], may arise. Teachers' classifications may be biased, associating likability with positive experiences, and even less popular children may engage positively, primarily through close friendships ([<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref106">44</reflink>]). While teachers offer valuable insights, a nuanced approach is needed to accurately represent social status in the preschool peer group, considering multiple perspectives and factors.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-23">Limitations and Future Directions</hd> <p>The findings need to be considered in light of several limitations. Firstly, while the children's sample is sizable, caution is needed in generalizing to other age groups or educational contexts. Future studies should explore these aspects in a more diverse sample, accounting for varied functional profiles of autistic children and ensuring gender balance for a comprehensive understanding, given the different presentations of autism between genders ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref107">55</reflink>]). This approach enhances the generalizability of findings and enables the exploration of potential differences among children with spontaneous social interest toward the autistic child and those without. Additionally, while considered reliable, relying on educators' (teachers and aides) assessment of children's social interests and social status may introduce bias. Future research should diversify assessment methods by incorporating peer evaluations and real-time observations to understand preschoolers' social dynamics better.</p> <hd id="AN0193226601-24">Conclusion and Implications</hd> <p>This study highlights vital pedagogical implications for children in inclusive educational settings with autistic peers. As children grow older, there is a noticeable decline in their spontaneous social interest toward their autistic classmates, emphasizing the need to foster positive attitudes toward inclusion in early childhood. Educators and policymakers should prioritize creating opportunities for social interaction between children with and without disabilities. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of identifying and supporting children who naturally exhibit more prosocial behaviors, lower levels of aggression, and higher levels of shyness, as these characteristics may make them more likely to engage in social inclusion initiatives. Teachers play a pivotal role in facilitating such involvement, enhancing the effectiveness of social programs, and fostering meaningful peer interactions. Exposing children to diverse experiences fosters empathy and cultivates inclusive attitudes. Additionally, findings indicate a need for educational intervention models to teach and reinforce prosocial skills among children in inclusive settings. This can be accomplished by incorporating organized activities and social skills lessons into the general curriculum and extracurricular activities. 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Nova Publishers.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <ref id="AN0193226601-26"> <title> Footnotes </title> <blist> <bibtext> The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Mati Zakai-Mashiach</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext>Graph https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6621-6531</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Consistent with the ADA's emphasis on respecting individual preferences, especially within disability communities, and reflecting the views of many autistic individuals and self-advocates who prefer Identity-First Language (IFL) as it aligns with autism as a core aspect of their identity ([10]; [11]; [51]), IFL has been used throughout this article.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Mati Zakai-Mashiach; Michal Al-Yagon and Esther Dromi</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib62" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib57" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref12"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib38" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib63" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib39" firstref="ref18"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref20"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref23"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib64" firstref="ref24"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib59" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref26"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib56" firstref="ref27"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib65" firstref="ref30"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref33"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref35"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref38"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref39"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref40"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib54" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib49" firstref="ref45"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref46"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref49"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib192" firstref="ref53"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib61" firstref="ref58"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib67" firstref="ref60"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref61"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl37" bibid="bib175" firstref="ref62"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl38" bibid="bib187" firstref="ref65"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl39" bibid="bib167" firstref="ref71"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl40" bibid="bib177" firstref="ref75"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl41" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref78"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl42" bibid="bib41" firstref="ref79"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl43" bibid="bib60" firstref="ref80"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl44" bibid="bib47" firstref="ref81"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl45" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref82"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl46" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref83"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl47" bibid="bib31" firstref="ref85"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl48" bibid="bib53" firstref="ref86"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl49" bibid="bib66" firstref="ref87"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl50" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref88"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl51" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref89"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl52" bibid="bib58" firstref="ref90"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl53" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref93"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl54" bibid="bib52" firstref="ref101"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl55" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref102"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl56" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref103"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl57" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref104"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl58" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref105"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl59" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref106"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl60" bibid="bib55" firstref="ref107"></nolink>
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  Data: Classmates' Social Interest toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mati+Zakai-Mashiach%22">Mati Zakai-Mashiach</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6621-6531">0000-0001-6621-6531</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michal+Al-Yagon%22">Michal Al-Yagon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Esther+Dromi%22">Esther Dromi</searchLink>
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  Label: Source
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Focus+on+Autism+and+Other+Developmental+Disabilities%22"><i>Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities</i></searchLink>. 2026 41(2):82-93.
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  Data: 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
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  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 12
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Document Type
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Competence%22">Interpersonal Competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theory+of+Mind%22">Theory of Mind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+Spectrum+Disorders%22">Autism Spectrum Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Status%22">Social Status</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Israel%22">Israel</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/10883576251407601
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  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1088-3576<br />1538-4829
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503954
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    Identifiers:
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        Value: 10.1177/10883576251407601
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 82
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Individual Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Competence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theory of Mind
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism Spectrum Disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Israel
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Classmates' Social Interest toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics
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            NameFull: Mati Zakai-Mashiach
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            NameFull: Michal Al-Yagon
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            NameFull: Esther Dromi
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              M: 06
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
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