Mainstreaming has been advocated primarily on the basis of benefits for children; however, benefits may also accrue for families. One possible outcome is that families of youngsters who are handi-capped may be more likely to meet and become friends with families of normally-developing children. This study describes the friendship and acquaintance patterns of families attending an integrated day care program. Results indicated that families of children with handicaps were more likely to meet and become friends with other families of children with handicaps. Furthermore, they generally were less satisfied than families of normally-developing children with their acquaintance with other families in the day care center. Implications of these findings for mainstreaming programs are discussed.
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