Friendships are important not only to youth development but also to the growth and expansion of social networks. Although there has long been acknowledgment of this importance for youth, such relationships can be especially elusive for transition-age students with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. This article…

Siblings are a critical part of lifelong support for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But siblings face their own social-emotional adjustment needs. These needs may be addressed through programs that include support groups specifically for the siblings. This study examined the effects of a community program on typical siblings'…

The purpose of this study was to examine the social participation of young children with disabilities in inclusive preschool programs. One hundred forty-three preschool-aged children with disabilities were observed in classrooms representing four organizational contexts: community-based, Head Start, public school, and blended. Children's and…

Fifteen children with autism participated in monthly cooperative art activities with same-age nondisabled peers at a children's museum. Nondisabled children received information concerning disabilities and were encouraged to be friendly. Both younger and older children with autism received more positive interactions from nondisabled peers during…

This article reports on interrelated measures of lifestyle quality for 20 severely mentally retarded adults in community settings. Size of the social networks and the number of family members were associated with frequency and variety of activities across home and community settings. Activity patterns were unrelated to number of members paid to…