DOES SOCIAL INTERACTION FACILITATE LEARNING IN YOUTH WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER?

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between social interaction and learning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A survey was administered to 28 parents of children aged 3-17 with ASD, no other learning disorders, and no Intellectual Disability, who attended school (including homeschooled children) in the United States. Parents reported their child’s ability, demographic and situational characteristics, and experiences learning information and skills while interacting with others. No significant differences were found in learning by social interaction or the reported frequency thereof, though interactors showed a trend toward a higher mean reported learning score than non-interactors. A significant correlation was found between age and learning. There were significant differences in learning between interactors and non-interactors based on age group. No significant differences emerged in learning among categorical type of material learned, but a significant difference was found in the association between social interaction and learning by dichotomous type of material (information or skill). No significant differences were found in the association between social interaction and learning among SRS groups. There were no significant differences in learning between interactors and non-interactors based on race/ethnicity. These findings may spark further research into social interaction and learning in individuals with Autism.