First Impressions Matter: Exploring Children's Negative Perceptions of Autistic Children

Many autistic individuals experience social challenges that may stem from negative perceptions held by their non-autistic peers. This study aimed to examine school-aged children's first impressions of autistic and non-autistic children based on viewing brief videos. The central research question was whether autistic children are perceived differently in terms of social traits and how these perceptions affect willingness to engage with them.

Thirty-seven children aged 5-12 years old viewed brief (10 s) videos of both autistic and non-autistic children discussing their interests. Participants then rated each child on social traits (i.e., strange, confident, honest, mean, likeable, smart) and indicated their behavioral intentions (i.e., willingness to live near, sit near, hang out with and talk to) towards the children in the videos.

Autistic videos were rated as appearing more awkward, more aggressive, and less likeable compared to non-autistic videos. However, participants reported a similar willingness to interact with both groups. Importantly, these negative perceptions were not associated with the rater child's age, IQ, sex, autistic traits, or social competence.

The findings suggest that school-aged children hold biased perceptions of autistic children, independent of their own personal characteristics. This underscores the need for early educational interventions in schools to address stereotypes about and biases against autism. Teaching children about autism could reduce stigma, foster inclusion, and improve social interactions between autistic and non-autistic peers.