Social Isolation and Relationship in the Family of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

In this study, the constructs of isolation problem are discussed within the context of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), particularly in terms of how children on the autism spectrum may experience this problem in different social conditions. Difficulty establishing relationships may be reason of loneliness in these children, meanwhile the experience of loneliness may also be affected by diversity of them, as cognitive function, self-perception, social awareness, and ability to understand emotional states. The loneliness and diversity of the children can be main cause for their isolation by others. To explore these concepts, we present findings from the extant literature, study materials regarding how the family of children with ASD live various situations. ASD is a difficult condition to understand even for families who experience this condition firsthand. As individuals in society encounter a different situation that they do not know, children's different behaviors may cause them to be afraid, hesitant and angry. For this reason, families should go shopping, eat out and participate in many activities in society with their children, both to educate their children about appropriate behavior in social environments and to change the society's attitudes towards different individuals, in a way to educate the society about different individuals (Siff Excorn, 2005).; Wall, 2010). The potential negative impacts of isolation by other children and adults, also family factor is discussed. The study concludes with suggestions for prevention and intervention to facilitate social relationships and thereby reduce the potential for development of isolation and other negative outcomes. Keywords: autism spectrum disorders, isolation, loneliness, social relationships