Supporting Neurodivergent Kids with Friendship Skills

Introduction 

Friendships can be challenging for neurodivergent kids. They may struggle with making and maintaining friendships or feeling isolated or rejected by peers (Fox et al., 2024). Therefore, how can parents support neurodivergent kids who are struggling with building friendship? 

Common Challenges in Friendships 

There are several areas that neurodivergent kids may struggle with socially (Columbia Pediatric Therapy, 2025; National Autistic Society, 2026):

1. Difficulty with recognizing or understanding social cues or unspoken social rules. This includes misinterpreting gestures, literal interpretation of sarcasm and idioms, and missing contextual cues. 
2. Experiencing sensory overload in social situations, especially when there are too many people and unfamiliar faces. 
3. Differences in communication styles compared to their neurotypical peers. For instance, they may talk about their special interests often, which can result in difficulty maintaining back-and-forth conversations and remembering to take turns. 
4. Different preferences with friendship activities. For example, they may prefer highly structured and planned social activities over last-minute plans and unstructured hangouts. 

Supporting Neurodivergent Kids with Social Skills and Friendships 

What are some ways that parents can help neurodivergent kids build social skills and friendships (Columbia Pediatric Therapy, 2025; National Autistic Society, 2026)?

First, model social skills and situations through role-plays. For instance, practice taking turns in a back-and-forth conversation. These role-plays can also include (1) labeling and recognizing your and others’ emotions and (2) practicing conflict resolution skills through different forms of media (e.g., books and TV shows) and discussions. 

It’s also important to encourage and give neurodivergent kids self-advocacy tools and to be aware of their needs and boundaries in social situations. This may look like helping your child recognize when they may need a break from a social gathering, as well as modeling language they can use to express their needs and boundaries with peers or adults (e.g., ZONES of Regulation). 

Lastly, it can help to focus on a child’s preferred interests to help them build friendships and form connections with others. For example, you can find various social groups in the community related to a child’s interests. This can help neurodivergent kids meet peers who share similar interests, which can make it easier for them to form meaningful and lasting friendships.

Conclusion

Additional tips and reminders to consider as you work to support neurodivergent kids with social skills are as follows: 

• Praise and celebrate all of the child’s efforts! Going out of their comfort zone to practice social skills can be tough.
• Embrace the child’s unique qualities, strengths, and interests. Make sure they know they don’t have to change who they are to make friends! 
• Work together to problem solve social situations.
• Reach out to community organizations or clinics that may have social skills programs for your child to participate in.

References

Columbia Pediatric Therapy. (2025, September 10). Helping Neurodivergent Children Build Friendships. https://www.columbiapedstherapy.com/blog-posts/helping-neurodivergent-children-build-real-friendships 

Fox, L., Williams, R., & Asbury, K. (2024). Experiences of friendships among autistic children in UK schools: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Neurodiversity, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241272250 

National Autistic Society. (2026). Making friends – supporting your autistic child. Autism.org.uk. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/family-life-and-relationships/making-friends/parents-and-carers