The Influence of Gender Patterns and Grade Level on Friendship Expectations of Middle School Students ToWard Peers With Severe Disabilities

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated gender and grade level factors in friendship expectations of middle school students toWard their peers With severe disabilities. A total of 65 students from tWo middle schools Were surveyed using a specifically designed instrument called the Middle School Friendship Survey. Results indicated that typical middle school students had relatively loW friendship expectations for their peers With severe disabilities. Although there Were no significant differences in friendship expectations by gender, there Were differences across grade levels. Students in Grade 6 had loWer expectations for friendships than students in Grades 7 and 8. Unlike prior studies reported in the literature regarding friendship expectations toWard peers Without disabilities, the current study found that friendship expectations toWard peers With severe disabilities Were not influenced by gender, but by grade level. Implications and recommendations for practice are discussed.

The Nature of Friendship Between Students With and Without Severe Disabilities

“…In further focusing on studies that directly examined the nature of friendships, we excluded studies in which friendship was a dependent variable resulting from intervention such as placement in the general education classroom (e.g., Kennedy, Cushing, & Itkonen, 1997) and the provision of direct support from adults (e.g., Rossetti, 2012). We also excluded studies examining the effects of variables such as gender, grade level, and activities on friendship or friendship expectations (e.g., Kuo et al, 2011; Kyoung & Chadsey, 2004). Last, in further focusing on studies involving students with severe disabilities, we excluded studies in which participants did not require ongoing extensive to pervasive levels of support to complete daily tasks of living.…”

“I Never Truly Thought About Them Having Friends”

“…Efforts to foster relationships among students with and without severe disabilities have been a long-standing focus of both research and practice (Brown et al, 1979; Carter, Bottema-Beutel, & Brock, 2014). Although many peers without disabilities express interest in developing friendships with their schoolmates with intellectual disability, autism, and other developmental disabilities (Copeland et al, 2004; Han & Chadsey, 2004), myriad barriers may limit the extent to which such relationships ultimately develop. For example, segregated service delivery models may limit the opportunities students have to encounter one another during the school day, peers may lack the information or guidance needed to feel comfortable initiating new relationships, the close proximity of paraprofessionals and other adults may hinder interactions, and the social-related deficits of students may affect the quality of those interactions (e.g., Shokoohi-Yekta & Hendrickson, 2010).…”