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Specific Challenges in Peer Relations for Young Children with ASD

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Preschool Peer Social Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Part of the book series: Social Interaction in Learning and Development ((SILD))

Abstract

The dynamic development of peer relations during the preschool years as described in Chap. 1 poses considerable challenges for young children with ASD. Difficulties in initiating and maintaining relationships that are appropriate to children’s developmental level (beyond their relationships with caregivers) are a defining characteristic for children with this disorder. In particular, social engagement with peers may be particularly challenging. These preschoolers with ASD tend to exhibit different patterns of social functioning than their typically developing counterparts, often demonstrating major difficulties across various social-communication domains including coordinated-joint prosocial behaviors, social conversation, and social and social pretend forms of play. In this chapter, we describe the unique characteristics and challenges of young children with ASD regarding the three key interrelated “building blocks” of efficient peer engagement during preschool, namely, peer interaction, peer play (both social and social pretend play), and social conversation or peer talk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Nirit Bauminger-Zviely, Dganit Eytan, Sagit Hoshmand & Ofira Rajwan Ben–Shlomo

  2. Alut-The Israeli Society for Children and Adults with Autism, Givatayim, Israel

    Dganit Eytan

  3. Autism Treatment and Research Center, Association for Children at Risk, Givat-Shmuel, Israel

    Sagit Hoshmand

  4. Ministry of Education, Jerusalem, Israel

    Ofira Rajwan Ben–Shlomo

Authors
  1. Nirit Bauminger-Zviely
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  2. Dganit Eytan
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  3. Sagit Hoshmand
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  4. Ofira Rajwan Ben–Shlomo
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Correspondence to Nirit Bauminger-Zviely .

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Bauminger-Zviely, N., Eytan, D., Hoshmand, S., Rajwan Ben–Shlomo, O. (2021). Specific Challenges in Peer Relations for Young Children with ASD. In: Preschool Peer Social Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Social Interaction in Learning and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79080-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79080-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-79079-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-79080-6

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