The power of best friends.

• Author: Meyer, Lori Erbrederis
• Position: Disabled children - Mind & Body

DROPPING OFF A CHILD at kindergarten for the first time can be one of the most memorable--yet terrifying--experiences of parenthood. Among the many concerns mothers and fathers face is the worry whether their child will make friends--a key factor, research shows, in reducing anxiety, depression, and the likelihood of being bullied.

For parents of children with disabilities, the concern is even greater, as four out of 10 of their offspring will enter kindergarten without the social skills necessary to develop close friendships. The response from schools has been to create inclusive classrooms, where a significant number of students with disabilities now receive the majority of their education and are believed to have a better chance at developing close relationships with peers.

However, I have conducted a study which found that inclusive classrooms with disability awareness curricula alone do not increase friendships for students with disabilities--and that having a best friend helps children with high rates of problem behaviors and low rates of social skills still gain peer acceptance.

The fact that about 40% of young children with disabilities will enter kindergarten without age-appropriate social relationship skills is striking, because these skills help them form friendships, which in turn supports smoother transitions in kindergarten and may prevent later peer victimization. My colleagues and I found that inclusion in and of itself does not equate to increased acceptance, classroom membership, or peer relationships. This research emphasizes the importance of individualizing classwide programs based on children's support needs.

In "Impact of an Affective Intervention on the Friendships of Kindergartners with Disabilities," I investigate a disability awareness curriculum's impact on the development of close friendships among 26 kindergartners with disabilities enrolled in six inclusive classrooms. I also look into whether the presence of at least one best friendship mediates the relationship between children's social skills/problem behaviors and peer acceptance.

The study compares the results of two groups, each containing students with and without disabilities. In one group, classroom teachers implemented the "Special Friends" program, a curriculum designed to increase children's positive attitudes about disabilities. In the other, teachers implemented a curriculum with a focus on science. Each program included class-wide shared book...