(PS3-B31) Differential Impact of Social Experiences of Neurodivergent Youth on Goals and Intended Response to Friendship Transgressions

Neurodivergent (ND) youth (i.e., autistic or ADHD) experience differences in friendship quality or durability compared to neurotypical (NT) peers (Mendelson et al., 2016; Petrina et al., 2016), but it is unclear whether these differences are inherently problematic. A greater understanding of the nuances of social experiences, including under what circumstances do differences impact ND youth is important. Often, social motivation, social cognition, social skills and social awareness are emphasized when exploring differences. However, the nuances of past and current social experiences, often overlooked in the literature (Romanczyk et al., 2005), may be important in the formation and maintenance of friendships, and in predicting future social behavior.

Self-report questionnaires were completed by 60 adolescents (ages 11-21) with a diagnosis of ASD and/or ADHD. Social experiences related to a best friend was measured by the Friendship Quality Questionnaire (FQQ; Parker & Asher, 1993). The adapted Friendship Transgression Stories (Bottema-Beutel et al., 2019) measured adolescents’ intended goal and response to friendship transgressions in a vignette format. A moderation was conducted to examine if the neurotype (ND vs NT) of the friend moderates the bivariate association of social experience on goals and intended response to friendship transgressions.

The quality of friendship in ND youth did not predict likelihood to respond to friendship transgressions by trying overlook or forget it (β=-.14, SE=.13, p=.267). This relationship was, however, moderated by best friend neurotype, such that ND youth with a lower quality NT friendship were more likely to respond to a transgression by overlooking or forgetting it (β=-.50, SE=.15, p=.001), whereas friendship quality was unrelated to this response when the best friend was ND (β=.03, SE=.16, p=.864). ND youth with higher quality friendship with their best friend were more likely to respond to friendship transgressions by trying not to get upset (β=.24, SE=.12, p=.046). This relationship was moderated by best friend neurotype, such that ND youth with greater quality ND friendship were more likely to respond to a transgression with the goal of trying not to get upset (β=.40, SE=.13, p=.002), whereas friendship quality was unrelated to this response when the best friend was NT (β=.16, SE=.21, p=.436).

The findings show that social experience may be an important in predicting future social behavior generally, but there are notable differences depending on the neurotype of the friend. ND youth with poorer quality NT friendships are more likely to respond to transgressions by overlooking them. On the other hand, ND youth with greater quality ND friendships are more likely to try and prevent themselves from getting upset in response to a transgression. Although both responses may be intended to serve as a protective mechanism, it is unclear if this is always an adaptive response. Findings highlight the importance of considering differences in social experience (i.e., friendship quality and friends’ neurotype) when predicting social behaviors, as ND youth with ND friends may have stronger quality friendships, yet still need support in learning how to best cope and navigate transgressions.