DefinePK

Abstract

The current study investigated the social functioning of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from the perspectives of parents, teachers, and the children themselves. While standardized assessment tools were commonly used to evaluate social deficits in ASD, they often rely on limited informants and controlled settings. To address this gap, the researchers employed a descriptive quantitative design using structured interviews with 20 parents, 20 teachers, and 20 children with ASD purposively sampled from Faisalabad, Pakistan. Data were collected through close-ended questions adapted from Bellini (2004) and analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Results revealed significant differences in perceived social deficits among respondent groups (F(2,57) = 9.58, p < 0.001). Teachers reported the highest level of social skill deficits (M = 4.10), followed by parents (M = 3.85), while children perceived the least deficits (M = 3.20). These findings underscore the importance of multi-informant assessments to capture diverse viewpoints and contextual nuances that standardized measures alone may overlook. The study concludes that incorporating triangulated perspectives can enhance the accuracy of social skill evaluations and inform targeted interventions for children with ASD. Adoption of multi-informant assessment models, strengthened teacher training, increased parent awareness, and developmentally appropriate self-assessment tools for children with ASD must be given special consideration for effective social skills development.