| The failure to develop friendships is often the | | | | a peer who shares a similar interest, his middle school |
| deciding factor in parents seeking an evaluation.The | | | | years will be far better than the child who is without |
| AD child cannot sustain friendships, partially due to his | | | | a friend. Even if the friendship is based primarily on |
| rigid insistence of rules and his inflexibility in play. He is | | | | pursuing talk and activities related to their special |
| strictly bound to the rules and will not forgive | | | | interest, it can be a significant deterrent to |
| cheating by his peers. He tattles on his classmates | | | | depression. |
| and is oblivious to the social code of not snitching on | | | | The ability to interact, get along, and develop and |
| your peers. His poor motor skills make him low on | | | | maintain relationships is a powerful predictor of |
| the list of playmates for games. His need for | | | | current as well as later psychological adjustment. |
| sameness may become more apparent and his | | | | Young children with poor social skills are unhappy, are |
| special interests become more developed. As he | | | | alienated from their peers, have poor achievement |
| becomes more knowledgeable about his special | | | | levels, and have low self-esteem. Peer rejection in |
| interest, his monologues become longer and he is | | | | adolescence is even more destructive with increased |
| unable to have reciprocal conversations. His advanced | | | | school failure, absenteeism, dropping out, and |
| vocabulary and knowledge continue to impress adults | | | | delinquency. In adulthood, our social skills play a large |
| but alienates peers who do not understand him. | | | | role in the type of work we are able to find and |
| While others their age are making deeper friendships | | | | whether or not we can maintain it. It determines |
| that involve trust, secrets, and common interests, | | | | whether or not we will have friends and romantic |
| teens with Asperger's Disorder, remains socially | | | | partners,and ever marry and raise a family. |
| isolated. The social patterns he displayed in | | | | Friendships are viewed by most people as a very |
| elementary school yearscontinue, and his peers are | | | | important part of life. Through friendships, we |
| even less willing to tolerate him. As cliques form at | | | | experience feelings of being liked, valued, admired, |
| school, the AD adolescent is excluded. Lacking | | | | cared about, trusted, and loved. With this come |
| common social sense, the teen with Asperger's | | | | feelings of positive self-worth, a sense of belonging, |
| Disorder, is at risk of being the brunt of pranks or | | | | and feelings of worthiness. |
| egged on to act out inappropriate behaviors. He is | | | | The inability to navigate the social world in childhood |
| also a prime candidate for public taunting and | | | | and adolescence has a profound effect on the social |
| ridicule.Fashion, fads, and trends are often ignored by | | | | life of adults. Half of adults with AD report having |
| the teen with Asperger's Disorder, as he pursues his | | | | only one or two social activities in any given month. |
| unique special interest. Wanting to have friends, the | | | | More than 35 percent have absolutely none. These |
| AD teen is at risk for depression as he becomes | | | | statistics drive home the need for intensive social |
| increasingly aware with each passing year that he | | | | skills training during childhood and adolescence. |
| lacks the ability to change his social life. If he can find | | | | |