Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Abstract: Making and keeping friends is something that children with disabilities frequently struggle with more than their peers. One in six American children suffers from a developmental handicap, which may restrict their capacity to interact socially (CDC, 2023). Compared to their classmates without disabilities, impaired children experience greater rates of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression as a result of these obstacles (Heslon, Hanson, & Ogourtsova, 2024). Improving the way we help impaired children in establishing social relationships is critical for their general mental health and development, as friendships are essential for emotional well-being. Compared to their non-disabled counterparts, children with impairments frequently have fewer and distinct types of friendships. The majority of studies on children with intellectual disabilities reveal that they have difficulty making connections, which raises their risk of mental health issues and loneliness (Heslon et al., 2024). However, not much research has been done on the impact of physical limitations, such as problems with mobility, on friendships. This creates a gap in our knowledge of how physical difficulties affect sociability, particularly in adolescence. Research on the impact of physical disabilities—like trouble moving about or being independent—on the capacity to form and keep friendships is scarce. Studies on intellectual disability or younger children are more common than those on the effects of physical restrictions on friendships in adolescence. By investigating how physical impairments impact friendship quality during this critical developmental time, my work seeks to close this gap.
This research will shed light on how these restrictions affect socialization and assist shape future initiatives to support young people with physical disabilities. How do physical limitations affect an adolescent’s ability to make quality friendships?