ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author provides a description of the social barriers identified by the participants in her study and offers strategies to remove these barriers. Specific attention is also paid to the bullying of autistic students and ways to eliminate incidences of bullying in school. Most of the parents felt that problems with developing peer relationships were barriers to the well-being of autistic students. Ariel shared that her child found social interactions in school exhausting and would need some time out. One of the barriers associated with developing relationships is the negative interactions that autistic students have with peers, due to their social interaction difficulties. The parents in B. J. Brewin et al.’s study believed that the negative social interactions that autistic students have with their peers resulted from their poor social skills, and their inability to respond appropriately to social cues. Barriers associated with developing relationships could prevent autistic students from attaining a sense of well-being.
