Abstract Reasoning and Friendship in High Functioning Preadolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

To investigate the relationship between cognitive and social functioning, 20 Israeli individuals with HFASD aged 8–12 and 22 age, maternal education, and receptive vocabulary–matched preadolescents with typical development (TYP) came to the lab with a close friend. Measures of abstract reasoning, friendship quality, and dyadic interaction during a play session were obtained. As hypothesized, individuals with HFASD were significantly impaired in abstract reasoning, and there were significant group differences in friend and observer reports of friendship quality. There also was consistency in reports between friends. Two factors—“relationship appearance” and “relationship quality” described positive aspects of the relationships. Disability status and age related to relationship appearance. Proband abstract reasoning was related to relationship quality

Career Guidance for Children and Youth with Disabilities

The chapter examines the role of career guidance with children and youth with disabilities from a full-inclusion perspective. The analysis started with the description of global challenges, which define the coordinates that frame the contexts where persons and societies evolve, highlighting the effects of globalisation, technological progress, demographic change, flexibility, global financial crisis, and neoliberalism on the current job market. Then, based on Life Design paradigm and Positive Youth Development paradigm, the relevance of children\u2019s career development was discussed and the need for career interventions in early childhood to offer growing opportunities for all children and youth was emphasised. Lastly, particular attention was given to examples of macro-, meso- and micro-level actions that can be implemented to promote children\u2019s career guidance in an inclusive perspective