Difficulties persist throughout the school years and extend into adolescence as children with ASD attempt to navigate the complex social world and subtle social cues of the hidden curriculum (Jordan, 2019 Myles & Simpson, 2001). Such differences often become more obvious among school-age children with ASD due to increased social demands (Bauminger-Zviely, 2014 Einfeld et al., 2018 Loveland & Tunali-Kotoski, 2005) in particular surrounding peer relations and include reduced levels of peer interactions (Bauminger-Zviely, 2014 Hansen et al., 2014 Wetherby, 2006) as well as quality (Bauminger et al., 2008 Kasari et al., 2011 Petrina et al., 2014) and quantity (Bauminger & Kasari, 2000 Kuo et al., 2013) of friendships and peer relationships.Īs a result of these social communication challenges, children with ASD often remain on the periphery of classroom social networks (Chamberlain et al., 2007 Kasari et al., 2011 Rotheram-Fuller et al., 2010).

Differences are apparent from early infancy and include difficulties initiating (Franchini et al., 2018 Mundy et al., 2016 Sasson & Touchstone, 2014) and responding to joint attention (Chawarska et al., 2016 Sullivan et al., 2007) as well as differences in understanding non-verbal communication including eye contact (Muzammal & Jones, 2017 Zwaigenbaum et al., 2013), imitation (Ornstein-Davis & Carter, 2014 Rogers & Williams, 2006), body language, gestures and facial expression (Chawarska et al., 2014 Wetherby, 2006 Wetherby et al., 2004). As a result, this review will adopt an all-encompassing approach to social communication and include studies which target any aspect of social communication, in line with the above criteria.ĭespite heterogeneity in the experiences and characteristics of individuals with ASD, challenges in social communication are experienced by all children across the spectrum (Anderson et al., 2014 APA, 2013 Balasubramanian et al., 2019 Tager-Flusberg et al., 2001) throughout all stages of life (Plimley et al., 2007 Prizant & Fields-Meyer, 2019 Tomaino et al., 2014 Volkmar et al., 2014) in areas including social-emotional reciprocity and non-verbal communication and in the development and understanding of relationships (APA, 2013). This inherent overlap between social interaction and communication is reflected within the literature (Conn, 2016 Fuller & Kaiser, 2019 Wetherby, 2006 Wetherby et al., 2007) and has been adopted within the latest diagnostic criteria for ASD (DSM-V) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Social communication is an ‘umbrella term’, as described by Kossyvaki ( 2018, p.7), for both (1) social interaction, defined as the reciprocal exchange of information (Dijkstra, 2015 Shores, 1987) as well as relational components including relationships and friendships (Burk, 1996 Winstead & Derlega, 1986), acceptance and belonging (Duck & Montgomery, 1991 Goffman, 1963) and isolation and loneliness (Laursen & Harup, 2002 Samp, 2009), and (2) communication, defined as an interactive process in which information is exchanged between partners through multiple means such as body language, speech, facial expressions and gestures (Gould, 2009 Mehta, 1987 Nilsen, 1957 Rogoff, 1990 Schlosser, 2003). Social communication skills are a complex set of skills highlighted as difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Balasubramanian et al., 2019 Howlin, 2000 Laugeson & Ellingsen, 2014).

Social skills questions for autism