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A PEER‐MEDIATED SOCIAL NETWORK INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE THE SOCIAL INTEGRATION OF PERSONS WITH MODERATE AND SEVERE DISABILITIES
Author(s) -
Haring Thomas G.,
Breen Catherine G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1901/jaba.1992.25-319
Subject(s) - friendship , psychology , facilitator , psychological intervention , autism , social competence , developmental psychology , intervention (counseling) , social relation , social integration , social skills , competence (human resources) , social support , interpersonal relationship , peer group , inclusion (mineral) , autism spectrum disorder , social network (sociolinguistics) , social change , social psychology , psychiatry , political science , law , economics , social media , economic growth
Increasingly, parents, teachers, and students with disabilities are advocating for interventions that go beyond skill training to provide support for participation in integrated environments and support for friendships. The present research demonstrated a social network intervention for youths with moderate and severe disabilities. Two groups of nondisabled peers were recruited to participate in weekly discussions with an adult integration facilitator to increase opportunities for social interaction for 2 students (1 with autism and 1 who was moderately mentally retarded). The groups met to discuss social interactions that had occurred with the students with disabilities and to talk about strategies to promote greater inclusion of the students into ongoing social interaction. The nondisabled students participated in the design and implementation of social skills interventions during transition times and lunch. The nondisabled students used self‐monitoring data sheets to record the quantity and quality of interactions. The frequency of interaction, number of opportunities for interaction, and appropriateness of social interactions were analyzed with a multiple baseline design. Results indicated that the social network intervention was successful in increasing the quantity and quality of interactions and that the network strategy promoted the development of friendships. The results are discussed in terms of the need for additional research showing the relationships between increases in social competence, peer‐mediated intervention, and the development and support of friendship.