Abstract
Objectives Previous research has reported that parental perceptions and expectations regarding friendship for their autistic children varies across different cultural contexts, but investigations of parents’ attitudes towards their autistic children’s friendships in eastern cultures are scarce. Settled in the unique collectivistic culture in China, the purpose of this study was to explore Chinese parents’ perceptions and expectations of friendships for their autistic children. Methods A qualitative research method was adopted in this pilot study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 parents regarding their perceptions, expectations, and perceived barriers to friendship development in their autistic children (n = 11, age mean = 9.18). Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data. Results The results revealed that Chinese parents generally perceived a low level of their children’s friendship status and that they hold low expectations for their children’s friendship development. Additionally, cognitive and environmental barriers were identified as the major obstacles to friendship development for children with autism. Conclusions This pilot study investigated how Chinese parents of autistic children perceive their children’s friendship and identified social and cultural barriers to the development of their autistic children. It highlighted the need for cultural investigations in future research to promote efficient friendship development in autistic children.
Published Version
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