Abstract
The ability to maintain an appropriate physical distance (i.e., interpersonal distance) from others is a critical aspect of social interaction and contributes importantly to real-life social functioning. In Study 1, using parent-report data that had been acquired on a large number of individuals (ages 4–18 years) for the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange and the Simons Simplex Collection, we found that those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD; n = 766) more often violated the space of others compared to their unaffected siblings (n = 766). This abnormality held equally across ASD diagnostic categories, and correlated with clinical measures of communication and social functioning. In Study 2, laboratory experiments in a sample of high-functioning adults with ASD demonstrated an altered relationship between interpersonal distance and personal space, and documented a complete absence of personal space in 3 individuals with ASD. Furthermore, anecdotal self-report from several participants confirmed that violations of social distancing conventions continue to occur in real-world interactions through adulthood. We suggest that atypical social distancing behavior offers a practical and sensitive measure of social dysfunction in ASD, and one whose psychological and neurological substrates should be further investigated.
Highlights
Social dysfunction is one of the key diagnostic criteria in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and is often the single most disabling component for individuals with an ASD who otherwise might be considered high functioning
In Study 1, we found that social distancing differs between individuals with an ASD and their unaffected siblings, as assessed using parent-report Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores in a large sample comprised of 1532 individuals
ASD individuals were rated as being less aware of their closeness to others or of invading someone’s space compared to their unaffected siblings
Summary
Social dysfunction is one of the key diagnostic criteria in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and is often the single most disabling component for individuals with an ASD who otherwise might be considered high functioning. Neglected has been research on other important aspects of social functioning, especially as they relate to real-world social interactions that can often be difficult to quantify. One such behavior is the regulation of social (i.e., interpersonal) distance, or the physical distance maintained between individuals during social interaction [4]. Social distance regulation is critical for successful social interaction, as its dysregulation can lead to personal space violations (and ensuing feelings of discomfort), as well as the inadvertent miscommunication of social intentions (e.g., aggression, defensiveness, social interest or disinterest, etc.) [4]
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