Best Friendships of Students With and Without Learning Disabilities Across Late Elementary School.

CHILDREN with learning disabilities; EDUCATION of students with disabilities; FRIENDSHIP; LEARNING disabilities; SOCIAL isolation; ACADEMIC achievement research; SCHOOL children; ADAPTABILITY (Personality)

Close friendships are important for children's academic achievement and social- emotional adaptation. Extant literature indicates students with learning disabilities are at increased risk for isolation, although little research has been done to examine the development of reciprocated friendships across late elementary school. This 2-year study examined the friendships of 55 students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms and 1,254 typically achieving peers. Results indicate that students with learning disabilities were as likely to have a reciprocated best friend and had as many best friends as their typically achieving peers. However, they retained fewer friendships over time, and were more likely to have friends who also had learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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