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Immediate effects of mainstreamed settings on the social interactions and social integration of preschool children

M J Guralnick1, R T Connor, M Hammond

  • 1Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-7920, USA.

American Journal of Mental Retardation : AJMR
|January 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Preschool children, including those with developmental delays, showed more peer interactions in mainstreamed settings. However, children with developmental delays were not fully socially integrated, highlighting a need for targeted social competence interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Special Education

Background:

  • Peer interactions are crucial for preschool children's social development.
  • Understanding the impact of different educational settings on peer interactions is essential.
  • Children with developmental delays often face unique social challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the immediate effects of mainstreamed versus specialized settings on peer interactions.
  • To compare interaction levels in preschool children with and without developmental delays.
  • To assess the social integration of children with developmental delays in different settings.

Main Methods:

  • Established mainstreamed and specialized playgroups with unacquainted peers.
  • Ensured appropriate matching of child and family characteristics for playgroup composition.
  • Observed social and play interactions during free play and collected peer sociometric ratings.

Main Results:

  • Mainstreamed settings showed higher levels of peer interactions for all children.
  • Typically developing children's higher social demands contributed to increased interactions in mainstreamed settings.
  • Children with developmental delays exhibited incomplete social acceptance and integration.

Conclusions:

  • Mainstreamed settings positively influence peer interaction frequency for preschool children.
  • Social integration challenges persist for children with developmental delays, necessitating further support.
  • Findings inform the development of intervention programs to enhance social competence in inclusive environments.

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