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Factors that influence development of friendships among children who use AAC and their peers
nlim3
12/4/2016 12:28 AM
The Importance of Friendship
Friendship involves voluntary interactions between two individuals that are characterized by affection, shared enjoyment, and reciprocity (Berndt, 2004; Hartup, 1996). Friendships has positive impacts on children’s social and emotional development (Berndt, 2002; Hartup, 1996). At the same time, lack of friendships is linked to negative consequences such as maladjustment and psychological difficulties in adulthood (Ladd & Troop-Gordon, 2003; Sakyi, Surkan, Fombonne, Chollet, & Melchior, 2015). Despite the presence of inclusive classrooms, studies have shown that children with disabilities have fewer friends, smaller social networks, and fewer meaningful interactions with peers (e.g., Carter, Sisco, Brown, Brickham, & Al-Khabbaz, 2008; Guralnick & Groom, 1987; Raghavendra, Olsson, Sampson, McInerney, & Connell, 2012; Schwab, 2015).
Also, due to language impairments that often co-occur with developmental delays, individuals with complex communication needs often rely on AAC to communicate.
In this post, we would like to discuss the factors that might influence the development of friendships among children who use AAC.
Below are some questions that could start this conversation:
- What factors might influence a non-AAC user from developing a friendship with an AAC user?\
- How might the quality of friendships be impacted by AAC use?
- In what ways can the quality of friendship be impacted if the child without a disability has a friend who is an AAC user vs. a non-AAC user?
- What type of activities can teachers implement to promote friendships among users and non-users of AAC?
References
Berndt, T. J. (2002). Friendship quality and social development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(1), 7-10. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.00157
Berndt, T. J. (2004). Children's friendships: Shifts over a half-century in perspectives on their development and their effects. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50(3), 206-223. doi:10.1353/mpq.2004.0014
Carter, E. W., Sisco, L. G., Brown, L., Brickham, D., & Al-Khabbaz, Z. A. (2008). Peer interactions and academic engagement of youth with developmental disabilities in inclusive middle and high school classrooms. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 113(6), 479-494. doi:10.1352/2008.113:479-494.
Guralnick, M. J., & Groom, J. M. (1987). The peer relations of mildly delayed and nonhandicapped preschool children in mainstreamed playgroups. Child Development, 58(6), 1556-1572. doi:10.2307/1130695
Hartup, W. W. (1996). The company they keep: Friendships and their developmental significance. Child Development, 67(1), 1-13. doi:10.2307/1131681
Ladd, G. W., & Troop-Gordon, W. (2003). The role of chronic peer difficulties in the development of children's psychological adjustment problems. Child Development, 74(5), 1344-1367. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00611
Raghavendra, P., Olsson, C., Sampson, J., McInerney, R., & Connell, T. (2012). School participation and social networks of children with complex communication needs, physical disabilities, and typically developing peers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 28, 33-43. doi:10.3109/07434618.2011.653604
Sakyi, K. S., Surkan, P. J., Fombonne, E., Chollet, A., & Melchior, M. (2015). Childhood friendships and psychological difficulties in young adulthood: An 18-year follow-up study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 24(7), 815-826. doi:10.1007/s00787-014-0626-8
Schwab, S. (2015). Social dimensions of inclusion in education of 4th and 7th grade pupils in inclusive and regular classes: Outcomes from Austria. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 43-44, 72-79. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2015.06.005
Raghavendra, P., Olsson, C., Sampson, J., McInerney, R., & Connell, T. (2012). School participation and social networks of children with complex communication needs, physical disabilities, and typically developing peers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 28, 33-43. doi:10.3109/07434618.2011.653604
King, Marika; Lim, Nicole; Nwosu, Nonye
Georgia State University
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Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging