Abnormal interest in others Infrequent social initiations 2023-03-23T14:48:16Z Social initiation refers to the ability to begin interactions with other people. This term refers to a reduction in the frequency with which an individual attempts to begin interactions. The term should only be used for individuals who are assessed to have sufficient intellectual and language skills to interact with others. Social interactions can be begun by eye contact, nodding with the head, saying hello, or otherwise capturing the attention of another person with the intention of starting an interaction. The failure of a person to initiate social interactions with others can be observed when the examiner assesses that the person has had the opportunity to initiate interactions but did not do so for an extended period. Additionally, the interaction must be spontaneous and not prompted by another individual. This can be observed in individuals with long-standing social deficits, such as those with autism, as well as in episodic disorders like severe depressive episodes. Reduced social initiation Reduced attempt to get or direct the attention of another person Infrequent attempts to direct the attention of another person HP:4000080