Social Relationships and Persons with Developmental Disabilities

Social relationships are an essential component of community living for any individual, especially those with developmental disabilities. Many researchers have touched on the topic of social inclusion, but few inquiries have examined the experiences of the adult population or the viewpoint of persons with disabilities themselves. The purpose of this book is to explore the social relationships that persons with developmental disabilities of all ages have in school, work, and leisure settings. In an attempt to further describe the social experiences of the persons with disabilities, six cases of different developmental stages were chosen and interviews, using arts-based techniques (i.e., participant-produced drawings), were conducted with the six key participants. Each participant's story was presented as a case study, and cross-case comparisons were made. Within each case, several types of relationships including friendships, family relationships, relationships with support personnel, and community relationships were described in detail. Benefits and challenges of social inclusion for persons with disabilities as well as other community members were reported.