Family and Peer Relationships: Conclusions and Future Directions
摘要
In this chapter, I discuss the main conclusions from the research reviewed in the previous chapters and synthesize recommendations for future research and practice. Compared to parents of neurotypical children and adolescents, parents of youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) have high levels of parenting stress and mental health problems. They are more apt to engage in coercive parenting behaviors that are associated with conflictual family relationships and negative outcomes such as externalizing behavior in their children. ND youth and their families are differentially susceptible to adverse events such as COVID-19. Compared to their neurotypical counterparts, ND youth are less likely to be accepted by peers and have stable, high-quality friendships and are more likely to be rejected by peers and be victims of bullying. Elevated ADHD symptoms can exacerbate these challenges. The research in this book suggests that practitioners should assess the family and peer environment and that effective interventions for ND youth involve their parents and/or teachers. Future directions for research include conducting longitudinal studies to establish whether the associations between characteristics of ND youth, their family and peer relationships, and their mental health involve causal relationships; investigating whether ND youth are differentially susceptible to peer pressure; examining culture and acculturation; determining whether parent-mediated interventions enhance children’s academic achievement; using friendship as an outcome variable when evaluating interventions to promote positive peer relations; developing tools to assess the peer environment; and examining the positive and negative effects of digital technology on ND youth and their families.