Students With Disabilities and Their Friendship Networks

• In Event: Friendships and Social Emotional Learning in Special and Inclusive Education

Abstract

Research has shown that students with disabilities are at a higher risk of maintaining a lower social participation status than their peers. One aspect of social participation is the friendships between these students and their peers. This study applied a social network perspective to examine the friendship networks of students with and without disabilities (N=189) in a highly diverse middle school in Southern California. Results of t-tests indicated that on average students with disabilities are significantly less nominated as friends. Further regression analyses confirmed that finding: even when controlling for relevant context variables, students with disabilities have significantly lower social participation compared to their peers.

Authors

• Christoforos Mamas, University of California - San Diego

• Janka Goldan