Attachment and social-interactive functioning in autistic children and adolescents: a scoping review

Background Social communication and interactive differences are core features of autism that shape developmental outcomes and quality of life. Attachment relationships may constitute important relational contexts for socio-emotional development in autistic children and adolescents.Methods A scoping review was conducted to map the literature examining associations between attachment and social-interactive functioning in autistic children and adolescents. Systematic searches of PsycINFO, Scopus, and Google Scholar identified eight eligible observational studies published since 2000. Data were extracted regarding sample characteristics, attachment measures, developmental outcomes, and key findings.Results Studies examined emotional and behavioral adjustment, emotion recognition, theory of mind, play behavior, empathy, peer relationships, and social engagement. Attachment security was generally associated with better social, emotional, and relational functioning, whereas insecure or disorganized attachment was associated with greater behavioral difficulties and reduced social reciprocity. Secure attachment was also associated with higher symbolic play, empathy, language development, and positive social interaction. However, the evidence base was limited by small samples, methodological heterogeneity, and predominantly cross-sectional designs.Conclusions Attachment may be an important relational factor in socio-emotional and social-interactive development among autistic children and adolescents. Larger longitudinal and multimethod studies are needed to clarify developmental pathways and to guide attachment-informed research and intervention.