Author: Beatrice Holloway, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS
Understanding autism and friendship challenges is essential to supporting children who may struggle to connect socially. Children with autism often face unique barriers in recognising unspoken social rules or responding in expected ways, which can affect how they build and maintain peer connections.
The core of autism and friendship challenges lies in the differences in processing and expressing emotions, which can affect the development of social relationships. While many children with autism are eager to make friends, they may experience interaction difficulties that lead to misunderstandings or missed cues, such as difficulty reading facial expressions or understanding sarcasm.
Typical Friendship-Related Experiences
Children with autism might show some of the following traits that impact how friendships form:
Reluctance to initiate contact
They might avoid starting conversations or joining in group play unless encouraged or prompted.
Literal communication style
Taking language at face value may make it hard to understand jokes or nuanced social talk, potentially isolating them from peers.
Unshared interests
A narrow focus on specific topics can make it harder to find common ground with others.
Despite these challenges, with the right support like structured social play, role modelling, and communication coaching, children with autism can develop fulfilling friendships.
Visit providers like Autism Detect for personal consultations tailored to enhancing social growth in autism.
For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape, read our complete guide to Social Interaction.
Beatrice Holloway, MSc
Author
Beatrice Holloway is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a BS in Applied Psychology. She specialises in CBT, psychological testing, and applied behaviour therapy, working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delays, and learning disabilities, as well as adults with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, OCD, and substance use disorders. Holloway creates personalised treatment plans to support emotional regulation, social skills, and academic progress in children, and delivers evidence-based therapy to improve mental health and well-being across all ages.
All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.
Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS
Reviewer
Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.
All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.Â
