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Updated: May 16, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties
Published on: September 27, 2020
How do people described as having a learning disability make sense of friendship?
Paul Mason1, Ken Timms, Tracey Hayburn
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Coventry University, Coventry, UK. pnmason@hotmail.co.uk
Background:
For many people with learning disabilities, friendships can be limited or restricted, with loneliness being a significant problem. Although much research has been undertaken exploring these issues, little attention has been given to what people with learning disabilities themselves have to say about friendship. The aim of this study is to explore how adults with learning disabilities make sense of 'friendship' and their associated experiences.
Materials And Methods:
Eleven participants took part in this study. Ages ranged from between 24 and 62 years (mean = 42). All participants were interviewed on a one-to-one basis, with interviews following a semi-structured format. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the interview data.
Results:
Four superordinate themes were identified: the significance of friendship, the effects of friendship on well-being, power dynamics and autonomy.
Conclusions:
In the social lives of people with learning disabilities, friendships have an important role. Other relationships also have significance. Greater efforts are required to support people with learning disabilities to be able to maintain friendships and follow social pursuits of their own choosing.
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