Social relationships of adolescents with moderate mental retardation

The social relationships of 64 adolescents with moderate mental retardation from seven classes in a special day school were examined via two sociometric measures. Results indicated that the classes contained social structures similar to those found in regular classrooms for students without retardation. Students were selective in choosing friends and playmates, there was reciprocity in their friendship choices, and classes had popular and rejected students. Further, students frequently chose as friends members of the opposite sex, peers from other classes, and adults in the school and community. Implications for future research concerning the nature and development of friendships among students with mental retardation were discussed.