On March 18th it was again time for the annual National Autisme Congres, where Dutch psychiatrists, psychologists, teachers, therapists, and the autistic public come together to learn about the newest scientific knowledge on autism.

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I think what's great about the programme is that it really emphasised neurodiversity and participatory methods, and provides perspectives from different fields

says Yung-Ting Tsou. She presented her and her colleagues’ research on “Loneliness in autistic and non-autistic children: Associations with social networks in school” at NAC and won the prize for best poster!Eos excepturi minima alias voluptatum fuga amet illo quia rerum. Recusandae eum enim laborum assumenda quo et. Iure velit totam cum. Dolores sunt id ex rerum accusamus.

Her research is part of the Breaking the Cycle project at our lab in Leiden University. The project uses sensor technology to capture children’s social networks and dynamics during school breaks. This novel approach received positive feedback at the conference, as it seems that it is very useful for understanding social interactions. The study’s results suggest: Autistic and non-autistic children likely tend to have different values when it comes to social networks and loneliness, and for those with autism, the number of social contacts may play an important role in feeling connected. “Individual differences are crucial to consider when aiming for a welcoming school climate.”

Congratulations, Yung-Ting, for the wonderful poster! View it here.

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