{"id":18,"date":"2025-03-06T16:35:05","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T16:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/?page_id=18"},"modified":"2026-04-09T12:03:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T11:03:58","slug":"social-skills-and-friendships","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/social-skills-and-friendships\/","title":{"rendered":"Social skills and friendships"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"207\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/social-skills-and-friendships\/getimage-4-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1.png\" data-orig-size=\"512,455\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"GetImage (4)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1-300x267.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1.png\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-207 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1.png 512w, https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/04\/03120742\/GetImage-4-1-300x267.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Friendships can be challenging for autistic people due to their differences in social communication and thinking style. These challenges\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">may be more subtle in females,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0as evidence suggests that they are more socially oriented and more likely to attempt to mask their autistic traits compared to their male counterparts. Unstructured times can be particularly challenging as autistic people need a\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">high level of structure and routine to help them to cope<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, and autistic girls .\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><b>Autistic girls<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some of the following points relate to differences in communication as this can also influence their ability to form friendships and social relationships.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May try hard to fit in and be accepted by mimicking the behaviours, interests and even speech patterns of people they are friends with.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May be on the edge of friendship groups or have intense friendships vulnerable to falling out.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May use echolalia (repeated, scripted speech) likely to be from TV shows etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May have a tendency to people please and give the answers they think you want to hear.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May have difficulties with appropriate facial expressions and responses (eg. laughing inappropriately or infrequent use of gesture).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May not use social &#8220;chit chat&#8221; .<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May find recognising and managing conflict much more difficult than non-autistic girls, impacting on their ability to repair and maintain friendships.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"8\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May have interests in topics that are common to peers (eg. animals, fiction, celebrities), however these will be of a greater intensity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"9\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May have difficulty identifying inappropriate friendship behaviours and are at risk of being victims of bullying.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"10\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May report feeling like an &#8220;outsider&#8221; or suffering from intense feelings of loneliness.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"11\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May be less conforming to gender stereotypes\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"12\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">May struggle to recognise social status\/authority (eg. getting into trouble for correcting teachers).<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"12\" data-aria-level=\"2\">Often, girls are able to socialise more successfully with people in other age groups. Differences are normal for people of different ages so she will probably may feel less different.\u00a0 Older girls may offer protection and can be more understanding.\u00a0 Or with younger friendships she may feel more confident may try to\u00a0 control the friendship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Supporting autistic girls to experience successful social experiences<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul id=\"_lA3t7yTAmW1Npg\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<li id=\"_o7qiNlFgRQJvN7\" dir=\"ltr\">Provide <strong>structured lunchtime clubs<\/strong>, focusing on <strong>shared interests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li id=\"_qiqIeHc7bHkd7O\" dir=\"ltr\">Consider providing learning activities to help<strong> increase understanding of social situations<\/strong>, interpret non-verbal signals and practice skills such as turn-taking, listening and negotiating.<\/li>\n<li id=\"_HIo0rw3P9dzYuq\" dir=\"ltr\">Use <strong>social stories or comic strip conversations<\/strong> if a pupil is concerned about a particular situation, or to support consideration of another&#8217;s point of view.<\/li>\n<li id=\"_7dH0wlUewTusrh\" dir=\"ltr\">Teach neurodiversity to celebrate differences and uniqueness.<\/li>\n<li id=\"_UCRCQjtuFNu3LS\" dir=\"ltr\">Discuss <strong>positive friendship qualities<\/strong> and support the pupil to identify \u201ctrue\u201d friends.<\/li>\n<li id=\"_pLOCU80ROxsNPj\" dir=\"ltr\">Have a zero tolerance <strong>anti-bullying policy.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li id=\"_eXjG1FhF7ZzgsF\" dir=\"ltr\">Use a <strong>buddy system<\/strong> or have a buddy bench in the playground.<\/li>\n<li id=\"_TUtCryuk9j7EAC\" dir=\"ltr\">Some autistic pupils <strong>may find social interaction too demanding<\/strong>. If you have tried to help them form friendships, but the pupil would rather be alone, then try to accommodate them having this time in a quiet and safe area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><b>Resources<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000\">Fife Council Educational Psychology Service Resilience Toolkit <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/06\/06115732\/Resilience-Guidance-Assessment-Tool-Strategies.pdf\">Primary School<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000\">Fife Council Educational Psychology Service Resilience Toolkit <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/06\/06115850\/Secondary-Resilience-Guidance-Assessment-Tool-Strategies.pdf\">Secondary School<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/www.autism.org.uk\/advice-and-guidance\/topics\/communication\/communication-tools\/social-stories-and-comic-strip-coversations\">Social stories and comic strip conversations (autism.org.uk)<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600\" data-contrast=\"none\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/05\/20092116\/NHS-resiliance-toolkit.pdf\">NHS resilience-toolkit<\/a> <\/span><\/li>\n<li data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600\" data-contrast=\"none\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/public\/autisticgirls\/uploads\/sites\/14731\/2025\/05\/20092214\/Resilience-Parent-Booklet-under-12.pdf\">Resilience Parent Booklet under 12<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Friendships can be challenging for autistic people due to their differences in social communication and thinking style. These challenges\u00a0may be more subtle in females,\u00a0as evidence suggests that they are more socially oriented and more likely to attempt to mask their autistic traits compared to their male counterparts. Unstructured times can be particularly challenging as autistic &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/social-skills-and-friendships\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Social skills and friendships<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25183,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25183"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":798,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18\/revisions\/798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/fi\/autisticgirls\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}