Friendship formation in adults with learning disabilities: peer‐mediated approaches to social skills development

Abstract

Studies have indicated that people with learning disabilities have few friends. Making friends requires both opportunities and skills. This paper focuses on the development of skills in order to facilitate friendship; an area that has received limited attention in the literature. Traditional social skills approaches are considered briefly, before moving on to discuss peer-mediated approaches. Peer-mediated approaches appear promising, with positive changes in the social behaviour of children with disabilities reported. It appears few studies have directly investigated maintenance, and evidence of generalization is limited. Factors that may improve generalization and maintenance are discussed. Finally, consideration is given to whether peer-mediated approaches actually facilitate friendship, rather than simply increasing interaction.

Friendship Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities in Jordan from the Perspectives of Their Teachers and the Effect of Some Variables on It

“…Table 4 shows that there are significant differences between students with LD in the friendship due to gender to favor boys; this means that boys are better than girls in their friendship skills. This result agrees with results of these studies (Hoosen-Shakeel, 1997 [22]; Mjaavatn, Frostad & Pijl, 2016 [26]; Buhrmester & Fuman, 1987 [43]; Buhrmester & Fuman, 1987 [53]; Aukett, Ritchie & Mill, 1988 [54]; Elkins & Peterson, 1993 [55]; Parker & Asher, 1993 [56]). Which these results indicated that there are differences in the friendship due to the gender.…”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Being a member of a self‐advocacy group: experiences of intellectually disabled people

“…This theme emerged in all interviews with the participants.’ When Participant 9 was asked how self‐advocacy helped her she responded ‘ to get out with and mix with people that I like, my friends it’s very important to get on well with your good friends’ Moore & Carey (2005) highlight the importance of creating opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to develop friendships. Participant 1 indicated that membership of her self‐advocacy group has expanded her social network of friends outside the day service, she stated ‘ I like to meet up with them for a chat and a cup of coffee some Fridays and Saturday in town .’…”

A model of processes that underpin positive relationships for adults with severe intellectual disability

“…Although social support is reciprocal and integral to developing relationships, the reciprocal elements operating in relationships that involve people with intellectual disability are much less clear. Investigation of the relationships of people with mild intellectual disability (Amado, 1993;Garvey & Stenfert Kroese, 1991;Knox & Hickson, 2001;Moore & Carey, 2005) attests to their diffi culties with forming and maintaining robust social relationships. For people with severe intellectual disability, these diffi culties are magnifi ed; they have few social relationships, Relationships and intellectual disability 325 and these are predominantly with paid workers and family members (Kennedy, Horner, & Newton, 1990;Krauss & Erickson, 1988;Krauss, Seltzer, & Goodman, 1992;Robertson et al, 2001).…”