Peer Popularity of Learning Disabled Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the peer popularity of learning disabled children who had participated in a sociometric study one year earlier. A sociometric technique was administered to 20 fourth and fifth grade classrooms in which there were 25 learning disabled children from the original study. An analysis of variance was computed for votes received on scales of Social Attraction and Social Rejection by learning disabled children and comparison children matched on variables of sex, race, and classroom. The results indicate that learning disabled children receive a greater number of votes than comparison children on Social Rejection and fewer votes on Social Attraction. The results indicate that there is reliability in children's friendship and rejection ratings across time and across classrooms.