Friendship and Support Networks: Students With Disabilities and Tie Formation Middle School Classrooms

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Friendship and Support Networks

Abstract

This study set out to examine the friendship and support social networks of students with disabilities in two middle school classrooms in Southern California. Driven by a social network perspective, a social network survey was used for data collection and the multiple regression quadratic assignment procedure (MRQAP) was employed for data analysis. Results suggest that students with disabilities were significantly more likely to form support/help ties between each other than with non-IEP peers and were less likely to send and receive help ties. They were also less likely to receive friendship ties than their peers. These findings, even though not generalizable, are important in contributing to the debate on social inclusion of middle school students with disabilities.

Authors

• Christoforos Mamas, University of California - San Diego

• Peter Bjorklund, University of California - San Diego

• Alan J. Daly, University of California - San Diego