This study compared the effects of 2 interventions often used to enhance social relationships in preschool classrooms. Social Integration Activities involves a teacher structured play activity along with teacher provided roles, suggestions, and feedback. Group Friendship Activities involves adapting songs and games so that opportunities occur for peers to demonstrate positive, affectionate, friendship behaviors to targeted students. One preschooler with a developmental disability and one at risk for delay participated. Results indicated differential benefits across the 2 approaches, suggesting a need to tailor the selection of interventions to the individual child's characteristics, skills, and interests. Findings stress the importance of closely monitoring children's social behaviors to determine if interventions are achieving desired outcomes.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Asher, S. R., Singleton, L. C., Tinsley, B. R., & Hymel, S. (1979). A reliable sociometric measure for preschool children. Developmental Psychology, 15, 443–444.
2.
Brown, W. H., Ragland, E. U., & Fox, J. J. (1988). Effects of group socialization procedures on the social interactions of preschool children. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 9, 359–376.
3.
DeKlyen, M., & Odom, S.L. (1989). Activity structure and social interaction with peers in developmentally integrated play groups. Journal of Early Intervention, 13, 342–351.
4.
Guralnick, M. J. (1994). Social competence with peers: Outcome and process in Early Childhood Special Education. In P. Safford (Ed.), Early childhood special education (pp. 45–72). New York: Teachers College Press.
5.
Guralnick, M. J., Connor, R., & Hammond, M., Gottman, J.M., & Kinnish, K. (1996). Immediate effects of mainstreamed settings on the social interactions and social integration of preschool children. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 100, 359–377.
6.
Hartup, W. W. (1983). Peer relations. In M. Heatherington (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology, Vol. IV (pp. 103–196). New York: John Wiley.
7.
Hendrickson, J. M., Gardner, N., & Kaiser, A., & Riley, A. (1993). Evaluation of a social interaction coaching program in an integrated day-care setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 213–225.
8.
Hundert, J., & Hopkins, B. (1992). Training supervisors in a collaborative team approach to promote peer interactions of children with disabilities in integrated preschools. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 385–400.
9.
Jenkins, J. R., Odom, S. L., & Speltz, M. L. (1989). Effects of integration and structured play on the development of handicapped children. Exceptional Children, 55, 420–428.
10.
Kamps, D. M., Leonard, B., & Potucek, J., & Garrison-Harrell, L. (1995). Cooperative learning groups in reading: An integration strategy for students with autism and general classroom peers. Behavioral Disorders, 14, 89–109.
11.
Katz, L. G., & McClellan, D.E. (1997). Fostering social competence: The teacher's role.Washington, D. C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
12.
Kohler, F. W., Strain, P. S., & Shearer, D. D. (1996). Examining levels of social inclusion within an integrated preschool for children with autism. In L.K. Koegel, R. Koegel, & G. Dunlap (Eds.), Positive behavioral support: Including people with different behavior in the community (pp. 305–332). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
13.
Ladd, G. W., Price, J. M., & Hart, C. H. (1990). Preschoolers' behavioral orientation and patterns of peer contact: Predictive of peer status. In S. Asher & J. Coie (Eds.), Peer rejection in childhood (pp. 90–118). New York: Cambridge University Press.
14.
MacLean, W. E., Tapp, J. T., & Johnson, W. L. (1985). Alternative methods and software for calculating interobserver agreement for continuous observation data. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 7, 65–73.
15.
McConnell, S. R., Sisson, L. A., Cort, C. A., & Strain, P. S. (1991). Effects of social skills training and contingency management on reciprocal interaction of preschool children with behavioral handicaps. Journal of Special Education, 24, 473–495.
16.
McEvoy, M. A., Nordquist, V. M., & Twardosz, S., & Heckaman, K., Wehby, J.H., & Denny, R. K. (1988). Promoting autistic children's peer interaction in an integrated early childhood setting using affection activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21, 193–200.
17.
McEvoy, M. A., & Odom, S.L. (1996). Strategies for promoting social interaction and emotional development of infants and young children with disabilities and their families. In S. L. Odom and M. E. McLean (Eds.), Early intervention / Early childhood special education: Recommended practices (pp. 223–244). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
18.
Niemeyer, J. A., & McEvoy, M.A. (1990). Affection activities: Procedures for teaching young children at-risk for abuse to interact. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Division for Early Childhood, Albuquerque.
19.
Odom, S. L., Bender, M., & Stein, M., & Doran, L., & Houden, P., & McInnes, M., & Gilbert, M., & DeKlyen, M., & Speltz, M., & Jenkins, J. (1988). Integrated preschool curriculum.Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.
20.
Odom, S. L., & Brown, W.H. (1993). Social interaction skills interventions for young children with disabilities in integrated settings. In C. Peck, S. Odom, & D. Bricker (Eds.), Integrating young children with disabilities into community programs (pp. 39–64). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
21.
Odom, S. L., Jenkins, J. R., Speltz, M. L., & DeKlyen, M. (1982). Promoting social integration of young children at risk of learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 5, 379–387.
22.
Odom, S. L., McConnell, S. R., & McEvoy, M. A. (1992). Peer-related social competence and its significance for young children with disabilities. In S. Odom, S. McConnell, & M. McEvoy (Eds.), Social competence of young children with disabilities: Issues and strategies for intervention (pp. 3–36), Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
23.
Odom, S. L., McLean, M. E., Johnson, L. J., & LaMontagne, M. J. (1995). Recommended practices in early childhood special education: Validation and current use. Journal of Early Intervention, 19, 1–17.
24.
Odom, S. L., Zercher, C., & Li, S., & Marquart, J., Sandall, S. (1997). Social relationships of children with and without disabilities in inclusive preschool settings. Paper presented at the Biennial Conference of the Society for Research in Child Development, Washington, D. C.
25.
Snyder, L., Apolloni, T., & Cooke, T.P. (1977). Integrated settings at the early childhood level: The role of the nonretarded peer. Exceptional Children, 43, 262–266.
26.
Strain, P. S., & Odom, S.L. (1986). Peer social initiations: Effective interventions for social skills development of exceptional children. Exceptional Children, 52, 543–552.
27.
Tapp, J. T., Wehby, J. H., & Ellis, D. N. (1995). A multiple option observation system for experimental studies: MOOSES. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 27, 25–31.
28.
Twardosz, S., Nordquist, V. M., & Simon, R., & Botkin, D. (1983). The effects of group affection activities on the interaction of socially isolated children. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 3, 311–338.
29.
Wehby, J. H., Symons, F. J., & Shores, R. E. (1995). A descriptive analysis of aggressive behavior in classrooms for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavior Disorders, 20, 87–105.
30.
Zimmerman, I. L, Steiner, V. G., & Pond, R. E. (1992). Preschool Language Scale (3rd edition). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
