Chronicity of social impairment

The present paper reports changes in social skills and social impairment over time from a longitudinal study on a total population cohort. In the 1970s, Lorna Wing and her colleagues assessed a total population of people with severe intellectual disability and/or autism in the borough of Camberwell in London. In particular, they identified the number of people showing the triad of impairments, including social impairment. The present 25-year follow-up study examines the skills and behaviour of the 90 (65%) members of the original sample who were still alive, mainly using the Schedule of Handicaps, Behaviours and Skills. It was found that social impairment (sociable versus impaired) did not significantly change over time, although there were some specific changes in social skills. For example, interaction in social activities was greater in adolescence and adulthood than childhood, but the quality of social interaction and eye contact were poorer in adolescence and adulthood.