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Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are characterized by deficits in social skills and communication and the presence of repetitive behaviors or a restricted range of interests. The difficulties individuals with ASDs experience with social interactions persist into adulthood. Although little is known about depression in adults with ASDs, it is generally accepted that adults with ASDs experience depression at least as often as adults in the general population. Social self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief that he is capable of initiating and maintaining social contact. In the general population a robust negative correlation has consistently been found between social self-efficacy and depression symptoms. The current study investigated the relation between social self-efficacy and symptoms of depression in adults with ASDs. Self-report data was collected on 53 adults with ASDs. Subjects completed questionnaires assessing symptoms of autism and depression, as well as social skills, social self-efficacy and impression management. Partial support was found for a negative correlation between social self-efficacy and depression symptoms. As expected, one measure of depression symptoms correlated positively with a measure of ASD symptoms, however another measure did not. Although social self-efficacy was unrelated to educational achievement, it was positively correlated with self-rated social skills. Additionally, there was no evidence that efforts towards impression management impacted self-rated ASD symptoms. Considering these findings, it appears that the relation between social self-efficacy and depression symptoms in adults with ASDs is not straightforward. Further research is needed to clarify this relation. |
