Friendship understanding in males and females on the autism spectrum and their typically developing peers

Background An altered understanding of relationships, including friendship, is one of the hallmark features of autism. However, research concerning friendship understanding among autistic people is scarce. The existing literature is limited mostly to children and often disregards gender differences. Thus, the current study aimed to examine friendship understanding in adolescents and adults whilst taking into account both autism diagnosis and gender. Method The current study was a secondary analysis of data obtained in the Polish Autism Survey. Participants were 76 autistic individuals (44 males, ages 14−37 years) and 76 matched controls. Qualitative responses to an open-ended question concerning friendship understanding were coded into six non-exclusive categories, including motivational (intimacy, support, and companionship) and cognitive-developmental (reciprocity, unconditional responsiveness, and complexity) aspects of friendship. Chi-squared tests and Mann-Whitney U were used to examine group (autistic vs. typically developing) and gender differences in friendship understanding. Results Autistic people referred to intimacy and unconditional responsiveness less often and also provided less complex definitions of a ‘friend’ than their typically developing peers. Autistic and typically developing males endorsed unconditional responsiveness and complexity less often than females. Additionally, participants who included cognitive-developmental aspects in their definition of a ‘friend’ more often reported having casual friends and a best friend. Conclusions The findings shed light on rarely explored aspects of friendship understanding in autistic and typically developing adolescents and adults. The study identifies distinct profiles of friendship understanding in autistic males and females. Taken together, the results can foster the development of fine-grained assessment and support of friendship understanding for people on the autism spectrum.