Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Student Teacher Relationship: A Comparison Study with Peers with Intellectual Disability and Typical Development

2015

Elizabeth Laugeson
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310-267-3370

This study examined relations among behavior problems, social skills, and studentteacher relationships within a sample of children (mean age 8) with autism spectrum disorders or ASD (n = 36) and comparison samples of children with typical development (n = 91) or with intellectual disability (n = 38.) Studentteacher relationships (STRs) for children with ASD appeared to be qualitatively different from those of similarly aged children with ID or typical development. The STRs for children with ASD were considerably poorer, with less closeness and more conflict, than in the two comparison groups. Within the group with ASD, teacher-reported child externalizing behavior and social skills accounted for significant variance in the total score on the Student Teacher Relationship Scale. Conflict was predicted only by externalizing behavior, whereas closeness was predicted by social skills; level of autistic mannerisms negatively related to the teachers perception of closeness.

Student, Teacher relationships, Teacher conflict, Individuals with disabilities, Autism

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

Consumers/Families, Professionals

Electronic (disc, CD, 508 compliant web posting)

[email protected]

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