The Role of The Role of AbilityFirst AbilityFirst

Regarding the Social Regarding the Social Development of Development of Children With Children With

Developmental Developmental DisabilitiesDisabilitiesStudent NameStudent Name

Social Science 193BSocial Science 193BUCI UCI

Spring 2006Spring 2006

What is a Developmental What is a Developmental Disability?Disability?

Condition can last for an indefinite Condition can last for an indefinite amount of timeamount of time

Occurs before the age of eighteenOccurs before the age of eighteen Person requires assistance with daily Person requires assistance with daily

living needsliving needs

Includes: Includes: Epilepsy, Mental Retardation, Epilepsy, Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy and AutismCerebral Palsy and Autism

California Welfare and Institutions Code, 2005California Welfare and Institutions Code, 2005

Background StatisticsBackground Statistics

According to the 2000 Census, 20.6% of the According to the 2000 Census, 20.6% of the general US population has some type of general US population has some type of disability. disability.

Census: two categories of disabilities: severe Census: two categories of disabilities: severe and not severeand not severe

Severe:Severe: those with developmental disabilities, those with developmental disabilities, severe limitations in seeing, hearing, or severe limitations in seeing, hearing, or speaking or those that need assistance in daily speaking or those that need assistance in daily livingliving

Those with severe disabilities: From 26 million Those with severe disabilities: From 26 million in 1994 (9.9%) to 33 million in 1997 (12.3%). in 1994 (9.9%) to 33 million in 1997 (12.3%).

Problem StatementProblem Statement

21

78

27

901020304050607080

Employment

Income < $15,000

Very orSomewhat SevereDisabilitiesPeople WithoutDisabilities

Higher rate of unemployment and lowered income level for people with

severe disabilities

Problem StatementProblem Statement

Lack of Interaction in the Community Lack of Interaction in the Community

73

49

89

75

0102030405060708090

Socializing

Going Out

Very or Somewhat SevereDisabiltiesPeople Without Disabilities

National Organization on Disabiluty, 2004

Problem StatementProblem Statement

Lack of Integration in SchoolsLack of Integration in Schools

0102030405060

Mental Retardation

Autism

Regular ClassResource RoomSeparate Class

Problem StatementProblem Statement

Lack of Integration During the Lack of Integration During the School DaySchool Day

8%

9%

83%

SociallyIntegrated

Segregated

Physically butnot SociallyIntegrated

Problem StatementProblem Statement

Lack of Integration in School and in Lack of Integration in School and in PublicPublic

Hindered social developmentHindered social development

Lack of community understanding of Lack of community understanding of disabilitydisability

Further discriminationFurther discrimination

Purpose of StudyPurpose of Study To see the effects of AbilityFirst on the social To see the effects of AbilityFirst on the social

relationships of the children involved in the relationships of the children involved in the program. program.

Social relationships that are studied are based Social relationships that are studied are based off Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems off Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, 1994 Theory, 1994

Bronfenbrenner’s Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems TheoryEcological Systems Theory

Children

SocietyParents Peers

Caregivers

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

Studies the aspects of these Studies the aspects of these relationships that promote or hinder relationships that promote or hinder the child’s social development.the child’s social development.

Divided into three sections: Divided into three sections: SocietySociety AdultsAdults PeersPeers

Background VariablesBackground Variables

SES-SES- Lack of resources Lack of resources

Parenting StylesParenting Styles Different levels of involvementDifferent levels of involvement

Ethnicity- Ethnicity- Different cultural expectations and cultural Different cultural expectations and cultural

values. values. Severity of DisabilitySeverity of Disability

Different abilities and different expectationsDifferent abilities and different expectations

Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewSocietySociety

Stigma- Reaction to the perception of a negative difference (i.e. disability)

The amount of negative stigma present in the community affects…

the self esteem of the child

the actions of the family

the attitudes of all other surrounding

people

Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewAdult InteractionsAdult Interactions

Parent-ChildParent-ChildParents are important in social skill development and

generalization of social skills

Caregiver-ChildCaregiver-ChildCaregivers facilitate interactions and create Caregivers facilitate interactions and create

opportunities for friendship development opportunities for friendship development

Parent-CaregiverParent-CaregiverBecause parents and caregivers observe different Because parents and caregivers observe different aspects of the child’s life, it is necessary to have a aspects of the child’s life, it is necessary to have a

collaborative partnershipcollaborative partnership

Literature Review: Literature Review: Peer RelationshipsPeer Relationships

Friendships are important for life adjustment and self confidence

Children with disabilities have less social behavior than typically developing children

Children that felt accepted displayed more social behavior than those that felt rejected

Interaction with typically developing children spurs typical patterns of social behavior

Literature ReviewLiterature ReviewLimitationsLimitations

Many of these studies used convenience Many of these studies used convenience samplessamples They do not have adequate representation from They do not have adequate representation from

all people groupsall people groups Some studies only studied one type of Some studies only studied one type of

disability such as behavioral disorders or disability such as behavioral disorders or autismautism

There was a lack of articles about after There was a lack of articles about after school programs for children with disabilities school programs for children with disabilities therefore special education articles were therefore special education articles were usedused

AbilityFirstAbilityFirst Offers lifelong Offers lifelong

services for people services for people with developmental with developmental disabilitiesdisabilities

Focuses on Focuses on integrating people integrating people with disabilities with disabilities into the communityinto the community

After-School After-School program focuses on program focuses on the social aspectthe social aspect

MethodologyMethodologySite SelectionSite Selection

AbilityFirst Newport Mesa After School Day Care Program

Located at Paularino Elementary School in Costa Mesa

Serves all children with disabilities in the area

2 Other After School Programs occurring at the same time

Daily trip into the community

MethodologyMethodologyParticipantsParticipants

All children that attend the AbilityFirst After All children that attend the AbilityFirst After School Day Care program at the Newport-Mesa School Day Care program at the Newport-Mesa

SiteSite

81%

9%5%5%

CaucasianAsianLatinoAfrican American

By Ethnicity (22)

MethodologyMethodologyParticipantsParticipants

23%

45%

32%

Elementary SchoolMiddle SchoolHigh School

By Grade Level (22)

MethodologyMethodologyQualitative StudyQualitative Study

Field Interaction and ObservationField Interaction and Observation Field NotesField Notes Formal and Informal Interviews Formal and Informal Interviews Open Ended QuestionnairesOpen Ended Questionnaires

Sample Questions:Sample Questions: How would you describe your relationship with How would you describe your relationship with

the staff?the staff? How often does your child interact with other How often does your child interact with other

children?children? What aspects of AbilityFirst do you most value?What aspects of AbilityFirst do you most value?

FindingsFindingsModelModel

Ability First

Child-Child

Parent-Child

Society

Caregiver-Child

Parent-Caregiver

FindingsFindingsSociety (or Outside Environment)Society (or Outside Environment)

Other children on Other children on school premises school premises either tease the either tease the children or are children or are scared of themscared of them

Parents take their Parents take their children off the children off the playground when playground when the children come. the children come.

“Ahhhhh! It’s a T-Rex”

-one of the children on the playground

“Are you retarded too?”

-one of the children on the playground

FindingsFindings

Peer InteractionsPeer Interactions

Children prefer Children prefer solitary playsolitary play

The high functioning The high functioning children are more children are more likely to have social likely to have social interactionsinteractions

Adult Interactions: Parent-Child

Parents are very involved

Parents try their best to implement behavioral techniques at home

“Stop it ! Go Away!” –one of the children

“They look forward to going home and spending time

with their parents”

-one of the staff

FindingsFindings

Adult Adult Interactions: Interactions:

Caregiver-ChildCaregiver-Child Staff interact Staff interact

frequently with frequently with children one on onechildren one on one

Staff sometimes Staff sometimes initiates group initiates group activitiesactivities

Adult Adult Interactions: Interactions:

Parent-Parent-CaregiverCaregiver

Staff and parents go Staff and parents go out of their way to out of their way to initiate conversationinitiate conversation

Staff and parents Staff and parents have close have close relationshipsrelationships

“She loves the staff”

-one of the parents

“I would be lost without this program”

-one of the parents

Limitation of DesignLimitation of Design

Not enough time to observe developmentNot enough time to observe development Most of the children are Caucasian and Most of the children are Caucasian and

from middle class familiesfrom middle class families Restricted to one site of Restricted to one site of

AbilityFirstAbilityFirst

RecommendationsRecommendations

For ResearchFor Research

Needs studies at Needs studies at other sites, other other sites, other

locationslocations

Needs a study of Needs a study of longer durationlonger duration

Needs studies of Needs studies of other day care other day care

programsprograms

For PracticeFor Practice

Needs more after Needs more after school day care school day care

programs for children programs for children with disabilitieswith disabilities

Needs more programs Needs more programs focused on the social focused on the social

development of development of children with children with disabilitiesdisabilities