Exploring Gender and Grade Level Influences on the Friendship Expectations of Young Adolescents Toward Peers With Disabilities
Han, Kyoung Gun
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/79748
Description
Title
Exploring Gender and Grade Level Influences on the Friendship Expectations of Young Adolescents Toward Peers With Disabilities
Author(s)
Han, Kyoung Gun
Issue Date
2003
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Chadsey, Janis G.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Sociology of
Language
eng
Abstract
This study was designed to systematically examine the friendship expectations of typical middle school students toward their peers with disabilities. Specifically, this study looked at the differences in friendship expectations by gender and grade level. Friendship experiences of typical students with peers with disabilities were also investigated. A total of 206 typical middle school students filled out the Middle School Friendship Survey-Revised, and thirty-three of them who had friendships with peers with disabilities were interviewed. It was found that qualities associated with friendship expectations were 'somewhat' important to typical middle school students for making friends with peers with disabilities. The friendship expectations differed by grade level, and gender also played a role for specific friendship qualities. The friendships expectations for peers with and without disabilities were different for Support and Companionship qualities. However, no difference was found between the friendship expectations of those who had friendships with peers with disabilities and those who did not. Limited opportunities to interact with peers with disabilities and the presence of adult teaching assistants were the major reasons why typical students felt they had difficulties in forming friendships with peers with disabilities. Nonetheless, typical middle school students' friendships with peers with disabilities seemed to be satisfactory. There was evidence that some students had intimate relationships with peers with various types of disabilities. Strategies for promoting friendships included the formation of in-school and after school inclusion programs, active teacher interventions, and prosocial initiations from typical students.
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