School participation and psychosocial  functioning in autistic pupils: Exploration of  the possible influence of child, family, and  school factors

Although participation in school is critical for supporting children's psychosocial development, this relationship is understudied in the autistic population. The present study investigated the relationship between school participation and psychosocial functioning of Dutch autistic children aged 4-16 years. The potential moderating effect of the child's age, family socioeconomic status, and school physical environment on the relationship were also examined. Parents of a total of 200 autistic children participated in the study, who filled in information of their child on an online survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the link between school participation and psychosocial functioning and the moderating role of child’s age, family socioeconomic status, and school physical environment. The results showed that autistic children’s school participation was negatively associated with psychosocial problems. However, no moderating effect of child’s age,...Show moreAlthough participation in school is critical for supporting children's psychosocial development, this relationship is understudied in the autistic population. The present study investigated the relationship between school participation and psychosocial functioning of Dutch autistic children aged 4-16 years. The potential moderating effect of the child's age, family socioeconomic status, and school physical environment on the relationship were also examined. Parents of a total of 200 autistic children participated in the study, who filled in information of their child on an online survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the link between school participation and psychosocial functioning and the moderating role of child’s age, family socioeconomic status, and school physical environment. The results showed that autistic children’s school participation was negatively associated with psychosocial problems. However, no moderating effect of child’s age, parental education, or school physical environment was found. This study was among the first to provide empirical evidence on the contributing role of school participation in psychosocial development of autistic pupils. Despite its limitations, it serves as a preliminary investigation into the relationship, and it provides methodological recommendations for future research to yield more accurate findings.Show less

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School participation and psychosocial functioning in autistic pupils: Exploration of the possible influence of child, family, and school factors