Social motivation by self‐ and caregiver‐report: Reporter concordance and social correlates among autistic and neurotypical youth

Abstract

Differences in social motivation underlie the core social‐communication features of autism according to several theoretical models, with decreased social motivation among autistic youth relative to neurotypical peers. However, research on social motivation often relies on caregiver reports and rarely includes firsthand perspectives of children and adolescents with autism. Furthermore, social motivation is typically assumed to be constant across social settings when it may actually vary by social context. Among a sample of 58 verbally fluent youth (8–13 years old; 22 with autism, 36 neurotypical), we examined correspondence between youth and caregiver reports of social motivation with peers and with adults, as well as diagnostic group differences and associations with social outcomes. Results suggest youth and caregivers provide overlapping but distinct information. Autistic youth had lower levels of social motivation relative to neurotypical youth, and reported relatively consistent motivation toward peers and adults. Youth self‐ and caregiver‐report were correlated for motivation toward adults, but not toward peers. Despite low correspondence between self‐ and caregiver‐reported motivation toward peers, autistic youths' self‐report corresponded to caregiver‐reported social skills and difficulties whereas caregiver‐report of peer motivation did not. For neurotypical youth, self‐ and caregiver‐reported motivation toward adults was correlated, but motivation by both reporters was largely independent of broader social outcomes. Findings highlight the unique value of self‐report among autistic children and adolescents, and warrant additional work exploring the development, structure, and correlates of social motivation among autistic and neurotypical youth.