Friendship barriers and supports: thoughts of young people with intellectual disabilities

ABSTRACT

A great deal of research has been undertaken during the last few decades regarding the life experiences of young people with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, not much has specifically focused on the friendships of people with ID. This article aims to present the friendship experiences of young people with ID who are in their transition process to adult life. It focuses on their reflections on their own friendships, the presence these friendships have had and still have in their lives, and the strengths and difficulties –if any – in managing their friendships. 11 people aged 17–19 with ID were interviewed individually. This article also intends to identify and analyse those elements that have influenced in the establishment of friendships in the lives of young people with ID, focusing on the role that both professionals and families have had from the perspective of the young people with ID. It also presents the influence that the educational context has had on the friendships of young people with ID.

KEYWORDS:

• Intellectual disabilities
• friendship
• young people

Acknowledgements

The author(s) would like to thank the 11 young people who participated in the interviews for their great contribution to this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the MINECO (Spanish Public Science Foundation) (grants number EDU2014- 55460-R and EDU2017-84989-R).