| Title: |
Brief Report: Structured and Unstructured Social Opportunities for Autistic Students in Inclusive Elementary Educational Settings |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Daina M. Tagavi (ORCID 0000-0002-0521-7474); Emily S. Kim; Jill Locke (ORCID 0000-0003-1445-8509) |
| Source: |
Grantee Submission. 2025. |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
8 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: |
R324A240031 |
| Document Type: |
Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Elementary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Autism Spectrum Disorders; Students with Disabilities; Elementary School Students; Teacher Role; Peer Relationship; Interaction; School Schedules; Instructional Program Divisions; Social Life; Predictor Variables |
| DOI: |
10.1007/s10803-025-06916-7 |
| Abstract: |
Purpose: This study explored the structured and unstructured social opportunities available to autistic students in public elementary schools. Specifically, it examined the amount and types of social opportunities provided by teachers, as well as the relationship between grade level and pull-out special education support on these opportunities. Methods: Participants included 27 autistic students from 12 public elementary schools. Teachers provided student school schedules, which were coded to quantify structured (e.g., small group work) and unstructured (e.g., recess) peer interaction opportunities. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the amount and types of social opportunities, and linear regressions examined whether grade level and pull-out special education support predicted teacher-reported time spent in these activities. Results: On average, teachers reported that students spent 62.4 min per day (~17% of the school day) in unstructured social activities and 114.8 min per day (~31% of the school day) in structured social activities. Grade level significantly predicted unstructured social time, with students in grades K-2 receiving more unstructured peer opportunities than those in grades 3-5. However, grade level did not predict structured social time, and pull-out special education support was not a significant predictor of either structured or unstructured social time. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of teacher-facilitated peer interactions during unstructured times in early elementary years and point to opportunities for embedding social supports within these naturalistic contexts. Given the substantial amount of structured social time teachers report planning for their students, interventions leveraging these interactions may also support social development. Future research should examine the quality of these social interactions and their long-term impact on autistic students' peer relationships and social outcomes. [This is the online first version of an article published in "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders."] |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| IES Funded: |
Yes |
| Entry Date: |
2026 |
| Accession Number: |
ED679426 |
| Database: |
ERIC |