Utilizing the Classroom Peer Group to Address Children's Social Needs

The results of a two-phase small-scale evaluation study of the Circle of Friends intervention approach are reported. This approach uses the classroom peer group to improve the social acceptance of a class-mate who has special needs. The study participants were 20 children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, ages 6 to 12 years, and their nondisabled classmates. In Phase 1, a between-group design was adopted, with 10 children randomly selected to receive the intervention. In Phase 2, children in the comparison group in Phase 1 received the intervention, and their scores were analyzed across both phases of the study. The intervention appeared to have positive effects on social acceptance by classmates, but few changes were obtained on other measures of perceptions or behavior. These findings support the specificity of social interventions and indicate the potential value of the Circle of Friends for improving social inclusion of children with disabilities.