Poster #46 - Effects of Sibling Status on Social Skills and Sociometrics Among Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Developmental Disabilities

Integrative Statement

Evidence suggests that the presence of an older sibling is positively associated with social skills in typically developing youth (Bobbitt-Zeher & Downey, 2013). Children with ASD display pathognomonic deficits in social functioning (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association 2013). Recent findings indicate that the presence of an older sibling may also be associated with better social communication skills for children with ASD (Ben-Itzchak, Zukerman, & Zachor, 2016). However, these findings rely solely on parent-report measures, which are prone to bias, and provide only one perspective on complex social behavior. Sociometric ratings of friendship and liking from peers can provide an additional - and more direct - rating of social functioning (Coie et al., 1982).

This study examined the relationship between sibling status and social skills in youth with ASD using both parent-report and peer rating measures. It was hypothesized that children with an older sibling would be rated as having greater social skills by their parents and would receive more positive peer nominations compared to their counterparts with only younger siblings.

55 youth with ASD (Mage = 12.06, SDage = 2.95; 40 male) spent 10 weeks together in an after school social program (Table 1). Parent-reported social skills were measured using the Social Skills Improvement System (Gresham & Elliott, 2008) and sociometric ratings were collected from the participants’ peers at the end of the 10 weeks (i.e., once peer impressions were formed).

Having any older sibling was related to higher parent-rated social skills (rpb(53) = .42, p = .001) and being less disliked by peers (rpb(52) = -.35, p = .03) compared to youth in the other groups. The same pattern of findings were found for youth with only older siblings (rpb(53) = .46, p < .001 and rpb(52) = -.36, p < .01 respectively).

Conversely, having any younger sibling was related only to lower parent-rated social skills rpb(53) = -.30, p = .02). Having only a younger sibling was related to lower parent-rated social skills (rpb(53) = -.30, p = .03), but also being more liked by peers (rpb(52) = .31, p = .02).

This is the first replication of the finding that youth with ASD with older siblings exhibit greater parent-reported social skills. However, these effects only generalized being less disliked – not more liked – by peers. This suggests that parents of ASD youth with older siblings may detect surface-level differences in social behaviors in their children (such that they are less disliked), but not deeper aspects of social behavior necessary for friendship-building (Mendelson et al., 2016). Conversely, parents of ASD youth with younger siblings reported their children to be relatively less socially skilled – while their peers reported liking them more. It may be that parents perceive these youth to be learning less mature behaviors from their siblings, but these behaviors may be viewed positively by peers. This study highlights the complexity in understanding the effects of siblings on social skills of youth with ASD.

Authors

• Tamara M Abu-Ramadan, Stony Brook University
  Presenting Author

• Fatema Noor, Stony Brook University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kathryn M Hauschild, Stony Brook University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Matthew Daniel Lerner, Stony Brook University
  Non-Presenting Author