You have full access to this open access article. Friendships are vital to mental health and well-being. Electronic database and manual reference searches identified twenty-two studies exploring autistic perspectives of friendship. Results were synthesised using a meta-ethnographic approach across the lifespan.
Findings highlight the common and unique experiences of friendship among autistic individuals. While autistic individuals defined friendship based on homophily and propinquity, similar to non-autistic individuals, unique challenges including friendship insecurity, monotropism and efforts to conform to neurotypical social norms, leading to anxiety, were experienced by autistic individuals.
Friendship plays an important role across the lifespan. It is a specific form of peer relationship, which is voluntary and reciprocal, involving concerns of each friend for the well-being of the other Hartup, ; Helm, Friendship is facilitated by a series of positive and negative experiences that young people have with their peers Rubin et al. These processes are linked to peer effects on multiple outcomes including behaviour, mental health, school performance and self-perceptions Rubin et al.
The importance of peer relationships stems from a fundamental human need for social connection Mazurek, Whilst social skills are required to form quality friendships, the two concepts have distinct and measurable, individual outcomes Hartup, During childhood, friendship provides the opportunities to practice communication, cooperation and conflict resolution, while facilitating emotional experiences such as companionship and intimacy Bukowski et al.
The importance of friendship increases after the transition to adolescence, with adolescents beginning to spend more time with their peers and less time with their parents and siblings Larson et al. During early adulthood, friendship serves as an important model for forming other relationships, such as romantic relationships Reitz et al.
