Assessment of Social Connection among Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults: A Proof of Concept Study for the Connections with Others Scales

Abstract

Background: A gap exists in measures available to assess levels of motivation, desire, and value associated with connecting with others. Moreover, few social connection scales have been developed with a goal of including autistic individuals in the sample to create a measure that has utility across neurodiverse populations. This study aims to develop a measure to assess different facets of social connection that is valid among both autistic and non-autistic adults. Methods: The sample consisted of 200 participants recruited online. Participants completed an initial set of 35 items. Exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Four-factor models were produced by the EFAs. Results: Item reduction resulted in the development of two 8-item scales: the Connections with Others Scale (CWOS) intended for the general population and the CWOS–Autistic Version (CWOS-AV) intended for autistic populations (CWOS-AV). Autistic participants had significantly greater motivation/desire to connect with others compared to non-autistic participants (t(195) = 3.39; p < 0.001). Conclusions: These measures will allow for greater ability to assess the motivation to connect with others, resulting in improved ability to produce research that clarifies theories and describes psychological phenomena.