Abstract
Little is known about preschoolers' reasons for wanting or not wanting to interact with age peers with disabilities. This question was examined in two studies using different methods. In Study 1, preschoolers ranked their preferences and provided reasons for wanting to play with one of three Playmobil figures presented with scripts representing a typically developing child, one with an orthopedic impairment, and one with cognitive impairment. In Study 2, while viewing photographs, preschoolers explained their reasons for playmate preferences for classmates with and without disabilities. Results from Study 1 indicated that preschoolers preferred to play with and made more positive comments about the typical child than the other two. Findings for Study 2 showed that preschoolers made more liking comments about same gender typical children. Females made disliking comments about males with and without disabilities, whom they considered aggressive. Males made disliking comments about males with disabilities whom they perceived as aggressive. Results from these two studies suggest that views of preschool classmates with disabilities may not always be positive; therefore, interventions, such as cooperative activities, may be necessary to enhance the positive effects of inclusion.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acton, H. M., and Zarbatany, L. (1988). Interaction and performance within cooperative groups: Effects on nonhandicapped students' attitudes toward their mildly mentally retarded peers.Am. J. Ment. Retard. 93: 16–23.
Asher, S. R., and Hymel, S. (1981). Children's social competence in peer relations: Sociometric and behavioral assessment. In J. D. Wine and M. D. Smye (eds),Social competence, Guilford, New York, pp. 125–157.
Asher, S. R., Singleton, L. C., Tinsley, B. R., and Hymel, S. (1979). A reliable sociometric measure for preschool children.Dev. Psychol. 15:443–444.
Asher, S. R., and Taylor, A. R. (1981). Social outcomes of mainstreaming: Sociometric assessment and beyond.Except. Ed. Quart. 1: 13–30.
Bredekamp, S. (1987).Developmentally Appropriate Practice, National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, DC.
Bell-Dolan, D., and Wessler, A. E. (1994). Ethical administration of sociometric measures: Procedures in use and suggestions for improvement.Profess. Psychol. Res. Pract. 25: 23–32.
Cavallaro, S. A., and Porter, R. H. (1980). Peer preferences of At-Risk and normally developing children with a preschool mainstream classroom.Am. J. Ment. Def. 84: 357–366.
Cohen, R., Nabors, L. A., Pierce, K. (1994). Preschoolers' evaluations of physical disabilities: A consideration of attitudes and behavior.J. Pediatr. Psychol. 19: 103–111.
Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., and Coppotelli, H. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: A cross-age perspective.Devel. Psychol. 18: 557–570.
Conant, S., and Budoff, M. (1983). Patterns of awareness in children's understanding of disability.Ment. Retard. 21: 119–125.
Das, R., and Berndt, T. J. (1992). Relations of preschoolers' social acceptance to peer ratings and self-perceptions.Early Ed. Devel. 3: 221–231.
DeGrella, L. H., and Green, V. P. (1984). Young children's attitudes toward orthopedic and sensory disabilities.Ed. Vis. Hand. 16: 3–11.
Diamond, K. E. (1993). Preschool children's concepts of disability in their peers.Early Ed. Devel. 4: 123–129.
Diamond, K. E. (1994). Evaluating preschool children's sensitivity to developmental differences in their peers.Top. Early Child. Special Ed. 14: 49–63.
Dittmer, R. M. (1991).The effects of simulation activities on the attitudes of preschoolers without handicaps and their peers with handicaps (Report No. PS019-699), Department of Education, Washington, DC; Special Education Programs. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 346 953).
Fassler, J. (1975).Howie Helps Himself, Albert Whitman, Chicago.
Fleiss, J. L. (1981).Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions, Wiley, New York.
Furman, W., and Bierman, K. L. (1983). Developmental changes in young children's conceptions of friendship.Child Devel. 54: 549–556.
Gerber, P. J. (1977). Awareness of handicapping conditions and sociometric status in an integrated preschool setting.Ment. Retard. 15: 24–25.
Guralnick, M. J., and Groom, J. M. (1987). The peer relations of mildly delayed and nonhandicapped preschool children in mainstreamed play groups.Child Devel. 58: 1556–1572.
Hayes, D. S. (1978). Cognitive bases for liking and disliking among preschool children.Child Devel. 49: 906–909.
Hayes, D. S., Gershman, E., and Bolin, L. J. (1980). Friends and enemies: Cognitive bases for preschool children's unilateral and reciprocal relationships.Child Devel. 51: 1276–1279.
Jones, R. L., and Sisk, D. A. (1967). Early perceptions of orthopedic disability.Except. Child. 34: 42–43.
Jones, R. L., and Sisk, D. A. (1970). Early perceptions of orthopedic disability: A developmental study.Rehab. Lit. 31: 34–38.
Kemple, K. M. (1991). Preschool children's peer acceptance and social interaction.Young Child. 46: 47–54.
Ladd, G. W., and Coleman, C. C. (1993). Young children's peer relationships: Forms, features, and functions. In B. Spodek (ed.),Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children, MacMillan, New York, pp. 57–76.
Ladd, G. W., and Mars, K. T. (1986). Reliability and validity of preschoolers' perceptions of peer behavior.J. Clin. Child Psychol. 15: 16–25.
Lasker, J. (1974).He's My Brother, Albert Whitman, Chicago.
Masters, J. C., and Furman, W. (1981) Popularity, individual friendship selections, and specific peer interaction among children.Devel. Psychol. 17: 344–350.
McConnell, N. P. (1988).Different and Alike, Current, Colorado Springs, CO.
Mize, J., and Ladd, G. W. (1988). Predicting preschoolers' peer behavior and status from their interpersonal strategies: A comparison of verbal and enactive responses to hypothetical social dilemmas.Devel. Psychol. 24: 782–788.
Mott, S., Striefel, S., and Quintero, M. (1987).Preparing Regular Classroom Students for Mainstreaming: A Literature Review (Report No. C008401757), Department of Education, Washington, DC.; Special Education Programs (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 290295).
Musun-Miller L. (1990). Sociometrics with preschool children: Agreement between different strategies.J. Appl. Devel. Psychol. 11: 195–207.
Nabors, L. A. (1993). [Preschoolers' attitudes during play in an integrated setting], Unpublished raw data.
Nabors, L. A., and Morgan, S. B. (1993). Preschool children's verbal responses and attitudes toward an adult with an orthopedic handicap.J. Devel. Phys. Dis. 5: 217–231.
National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education NAECE/SDE (1991). Guidelines for appropriate curriculum content and assessment in programs serving children ages 3 through 8.Young Child. 46: 21–38.
Quay, L. C., and Jarrett, O. S. (1984). Predictors of social acceptance in preschool children.Devel. Psychol. 20(5): 793–796.
Raab, M., Nordquist, V. M., Cunningham, J. L., and Bliem, C. D. (1986). Promoting peer regard of an autistic child in a mainstreamed preschool using pre-enrollment activities.Child Study J. 16: 265–283.
Rule, S., Stowitschek, J. J., Innocenti, M., Striefel, S., Killoran, J., and Swezey, K. (1987). The social integration program: An analysis of the effects of mainstreaming handicapped children into day care centers.Ed. Treat. Child. 10: 175–192.
Ramsey, P. G. (1991). The salience of race in young children growing up in an all white community.J. Ed. Psychol. 83: 28–34.
Ramsey, P. G., and Meyers, L. C. (1990). Salience of race in young children's cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to social environments.J. Appl. Devel. Psychol. 11: 49–67.
Siperstein, G. N., Bak, J. J., and O'Keefe, P. (1988). Relationship between children's attitudes toward and their social acceptance of mentally retarded peers.Am. J. Ment. Retard. 93: 24–27.
Weinberg, N. (1978). Preschool children's perceptions of orthopedic disability.Rehab. Counsel. Bull. 21: 327–331.
Weidman, C. S., and Strayhorn, J. M. (1992). Relationships between children's prosocial behaviors and choices in story dilemmas.J. Psychoed. Assess. 10: 330–341.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nabors, L., Keyes, L. Preschoolers' reasons for accepting peers with and without disabilities. J Dev Phys Disabil 7, 335–355 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02578435
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02578435