| Summary: | Social interaction and communication are known to be major areas of difficulty for children with an autism spectrum disorder, however, little is known about how these difficulties impact upon their ability to form meaningful peer relationships and friendships. The present article reviews the increasing body of literature on the quality of peer relationships in this population of children. The small number of published papers employ a range of different methodologies, with most showing that, compared to typically developing children, children with autism interact with their peers less frequently, and have fewer close friendships. Moreover, there is growing evidence to suggest that, as a result of their peer relationship difficulties, these children experience greater feelings of loneliness, and are at greater risk of victimization and bullying by their peers. Since many of the studies included in this review have small sample sizes and methodological weaknesses, further good quality research is needed to promote our understanding of the peer relationships, and in particular the emotional impact of these difficulties on children and young people with an autism spectrum disorder.
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