Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Experience of Social Participation in Everyday Contexts Among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Experience Sampling Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study explored the everyday life experiences of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Fourteen Australians and 16 Taiwanese (aged 16–45 years) with Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism recorded what they were doing, level of interest/involvement, emotional reactions and preference for being alone 7 times/day for 7 days. Multilevel analyses showed that ‘solitary/parallel leisure’ and ‘social activities’ were positively associated with interest and involvement. Engaging in these two activities and interacting with friends were positively associated with enjoyment. However, engaging in ‘social activities’ and having less severe ASD symptoms were associated with in-the-moment anxiety. Severity of ASD and social anxiety moderated experience in social situations. The findings highlight the importance of considering the in-the-moment experience of people with ASD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauminger, N., & Kasari, C. (2000). Loneliness and friendship in high-functioning children with autism. Child Development, 71, 447–456.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bellini, S. (2006). The development of social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 21, 138–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bickel, R. (2007). Multilevel analysis for applied research: It’s just regression!. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop-Fitzpatrick, L., Minshew, N. J., & Eack, S. M. (2013). A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 687–694.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bölte, S. (2012). Brief Report: The Social Responsiveness Scale for Adults (SRS-A): Initial results in a German cohort. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42, 1998–1999.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E. J., Turovsky, J., Heimberg, R. G., Juster, H. R., Brown, T. A., & Barlow, D. H. (1997). Validation of the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and the Social Phobia Scale across the anxiety disorders. Psychological Assessment, 9, 21–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cappadocia, M. C., Weiss, J. A., & Pepler, D. (2011). Bullying experiences among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42, 266–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrington, S., Templeton, E., & Papinczak, T. (2003). Adolescents with Asperger syndrome and perceptions of friendship. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 18, 211–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, Y.-C., Quan, J., & Wood, J. J. (2012). Effects of anxiety disorder severity on social functioning in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 24, 235–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.-W., Bundy, A., Cordier, R., Chien, Y.-L., & Einfeld, S. (2016). The everyday social participation of males and females with autism spectrum disorders: A cross-cultural exploration between Australia and Taiwan (under review).

  • Chen, Y.-W., Bundy, A., Cordier, R., & Einfeld, S. (2014). Feasibility and usability of experience sampling methodology for capturing everyday experiences of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Disability and Health Journal, 7, 361–366. doi:10.1016/j.dhjo.2014.04.004.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y.-W., Cordier, R., & Brown, N. (2015). A preliminary study on the reliability and validity of using experience sampling method in children with autism spectrum disorders. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 18(6), 383–389. doi:10.3109/17518423.2013.855274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Constantino, J. N., & Gruber, C. P. (2012). Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2). Torrance, CA: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordier, R., Brown, N., Chen, Y.-W., Wilkes-Gillan, S., & Falkmer, T. (2014). Piloting the use of experience sampling method to investigate the everyday social experiences of children with Asperger syndrome/high functioning autism. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. doi:10.3109/17518423.2014.915244.

  • Croen, L. A., Zerbo, O., Qian, Y., Massolo, M. L., Rich, S., Sidney, S., & Kripke, C. (2015). The health status of adults on the autism spectrum. Autism, 19, 824–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Larson, R. W. (1984). Being adolescent: Conflict and growth in the teenage years. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleeson, W. (2007). Studying personality processes: Explaining change in between-persons longitudinal and within-person multilevel models. In R. W. Robins, R. C. Fraley, & R. F. Krueger (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in personality psychology (pp. 523–542). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gau, S. S. F., Liu, L. T., Wu, Y. Y., Chiu, Y. N., & Tsai, W. C. (2013). Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Social Responsiveness Scale. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7, 349–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare, D. J., Wood, C., Wastell, S., & Skirrow, P. (2014). Anxiety in Asperger’s syndrome: Assessment in real time. Autism,. doi:10.1177/1362361314531340.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Head, A. M., McGillivray, J. A., & Stokes, M. A. (2014). Gender differences in emotionality and sociability in children with autism spectrum disorders. Molecular Autism, 5, 19.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hektner, J. M., Schmidt, J. A., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2007). Experience sampling method: Measuring the quality of everyday life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hintzen, A., Delespaul, P., van Os, J., & Myin-Germeys, I. (2010). Social needs in daily life in adults with pervasive developmental disorders. Psychiatry Research, 179, 75–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, B., Cohn, E., & Orsmond, G. (2006). Understanding and negotiating friendships: Perspectives from an adolescent with Asperger syndrome. Autism, 10, 619–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howlin, P., Mawhood, L., & Rutter, M. (2000). Autism and developmental receptive language disorder—A follow-up comparison in early adult life. II: Social, behavioural, and psychiatric outcomes. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41, 561–578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel analysis: Techniques and applications. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, N., & Lewis, S. (2008). ‘Make me normal’: The views and experiences of pupils on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools. Autism, 12, 23–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey, N., & Symes, W. (2010). Perceptions of social support and experience of bullying among pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in mainstream secondary schools. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25, 77–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jessup, G., Bian, S., Chen, Y. W., & Bundy, A. C. (2012). Manual of P.I.E.L. Survey Application [iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad/iPad mini Application]. Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney. http://pielsurvey.org/.

  • Khor, A. S., Gray, K. M., Reid, S. C., & Melvin, G. A. (2014). Feasibility and validity of ecological momentary assessment in adolescents with high-functioning autism and Asperger’s disorder. Journal of Adolescence, 37, 37–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kingsep, P., Nathan, P., & Castle, D. (2003). Cognitive behavioural group treatment for social anxiety in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 63, 121–129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lai, M.-C., Lombardo, M. V., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2014). Autism. The Lancet, 383, 896–910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langdon, P. E., Murphy, G. H., Wilson, E., Shepstone, L., Fowler, D., Heavens, D., & Russell, A. (2013). Asperger syndrome and anxiety disorders (PAsSA) treatment trial: A study protocol of a pilot, multicentre, single-blind, randomised crossover trial of group cognitive behavioural therapy. BMJ Open, 3(7), e003449.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, J., Ishijima, E. H., Kasari, C., & London, N. (2010). Loneliness, friendship quality and the social networks of adolescents with high-functioning autism in an inclusive school setting. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 10, 74–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattick, R. P., & Clarke, J. C. (1998). Development and validation of measures of social phobia scrutiny fear and social interaction anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 36, 455–470.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Müller, E., Schuler, A., & Yates, G. B. (2008). Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities. Autism, 12, 173–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myin-Germeys, I., Nicolson, N. A., & Delespaul, P. A. E. G. (2001). The context of delusional experiences in the daily life of patients with schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 31, 489–498.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nezlek, J. B. (2001). Multilevel random coefficient analyses of event-and interval-contingent data in social and personality psychology research. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 771–785.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orsmond, G. I., & Seltzer, M. M. (2009). Adolescent siblings of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder: Testing a diathesis-stress model of sibling well-being. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1053–1065.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Piasecki, T. M., Hufford, M. R., Solhan, M., & Trull, T. J. (2007). Assessing clients in their natural environments with electronic diaries: Rationale, benefits, limitations, and barriers. Psychological Assessment, 19, 25–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., Bryk, A., Cheong, Y. F., Congdon, R., & du Toit, M. (2011). HLM 7: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling. Lincolnwood, IL: Scientific Software International Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichow, B., & Volkmar, F. R. (2010). Social skills interventions for individuals with autism: Evaluation for evidence-based practices within a best evidence synthesis framework. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 149–166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, J. E., & Stone, A. A. (1998). Strategies for analyzing ecological momentary assessment data. Health Psychology, 17, 6–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz, N. (1999). Self-reports: How the questions shape the answers. American Psychologist, 54, 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scollon, C. N., Kim-Prieto, C., & Diener, E. (2003). Experience sampling: Promises and pitfalls, strengths and weaknesses. Journal of Happiness Studies, 4, 5–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shattuck, P. T., Seltzer, M. M., Greenberg, J. S., Orsmond, G. I., Bolt, D., Kring, S., & Lord, C. (2007). Change in autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors in adolescents and adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1735–1747.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shiffman, S., Stone, A. A., & Hufford, M. R. (2008). Ecological momentary assessment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 4, 1–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, L. E., Greenberg, J. S., & Mailick, M. R. (2012). Adults with autism: Outcomes, family effects, and the multi-family group psychoeducation model. Current Psychiatry Reports, 14, 732–738.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Snijders, T. A. B., & Bosker, R. J. (2012). Multilevel analysis: An introduction to basic and advanced multilevel modeling (2nd ed.). London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spain, D., & Blainey, S. H. (2015). Group social skills interventions for adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Autism, 19, 874–886.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, S. K., Burnette, C. P., Mundy, P. C., Meyer, J., Vaughan, A., Sanders, C., & Yale, M. (2005). Resting cortical brain activity and social behavior in higher functioning children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46, 211–222.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tobin, M. C., Drager, K. D., & Richardson, L. F. (2014). A systematic review of social participation for adults with autism spectrum disorders: Support, social functioning, and quality of life. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 8, 214–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tourangeau, R. (1999). Remembering what happened: Memory errors and survey reports. In A. A. Stone, J. S. Turkkan, C. A. Bachrach, J. B. Jobe, H. S. Kurtzman, & V. S. Cain (Eds.), The science of self-report: Implications for research and practice (pp. 29–47). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trull, T. J., & Ebner-Priemer, U. W. (2009). Using experience sampling methods/ecological momentary assessment (ESM/EMA) in clinical assessment and clinical research: Introduction to the special section. Psychological Assessment, 21, 457–462.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Van Roekel, E., Scholte, R. H., & Didden, R. (2010). Bullying among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: Prevalence and perception. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 63–73.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2008). WAIS-IV Administration and scoring manual. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, S. W., & Roberson-Nay, R. (2009). Anxiety, social deficits, and loneliness in youth with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1006–1013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehouse, A. J. O., Durkin, K., Jaquet, E., & Ziatas, K. (2009). Friendship, loneliness and depression in adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome. Journal of Adolescence, 32, 309–322.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, R. W. (2011). Woodcock reading mastery tests, third edition (WRMT-III). San Antonio: TX Pearson Education Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, J. F. (2003). The relations of social anxiety, Internet social anxiety and characteristics of the Internet (Master’s thesis). Taipei: National Taiwan University.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The study was completed by the first author as part of the requirements for the completion of Ph.D. under supervision of the second, third and the fifth authors. The authors would like to acknowledge the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney for the awarding of Mary Frances Stephens Scholarship and Postgraduate Research Support Scheme. This study was supported by National Science Council (NSC102-2314-B-002 -019) and National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH101-M2004), Taiwan. The authors thank Prof. Susan Shur-Fen Gau and Prof. Shu-Hui Chen for their allowance to use the Chinese version of Social Responsiveness Scale and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. The authors also thank the people who participated in the research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) and other autism related associations in Australia for assistance in research advertisement and recruitment. The authors are grateful to Ms. Sarah Wilkes-Gillan for help with editing.

Author Contributions

YWC conceived of the study, participated in its design and coordination, analysis and interpretation of data and drafted the manuscript; AB helped to conceive of the study, participated in the design and interpretation of the data and helped to draft the manuscript; RC helped to conceive of the study, participated in the design and helped to draft the manuscript; YLC coordinated the participants recruitment in Taiwan and helped to draft the manuscript; SE helped to conceive of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW, 1825, Australia

    Yu-Wei Chen, Anita Bundy & Stewart Einfeld

  2. School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia

    Reinie Cordier

  3. Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ling Chien

  4. Brain and Mind Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Stewart Einfeld

Authors
  1. Yu-Wei Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anita Bundy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Reinie Cordier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yi-Ling Chien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Stewart Einfeld
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu-Wei Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, YW., Bundy, A., Cordier, R. et al. The Experience of Social Participation in Everyday Contexts Among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Experience Sampling Study. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 1403–1414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2682-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2682-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation