Abstract
Peer relationships are essential to well-being, yet children with disabilities are frequently isolated within school settings. This pilot study explored students with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs), peers, and educators’ experiences with a brief peer-focused intervention in a middle school, and its effects on peer attitudes towards students with NDDs. The intervention incorporated (1) education to peers about disability and strategies to engage with children with NDDs, and (2) facilitated opportunities for social interactions between peers and children with NDDs through activity-based recess clubs. A mixed-methods, convergent parallel design was used. Peer attitudes towards children with disabilities were measured using the CATCH-Revised Questionnaire pre and post the educational session. Interviews with children with disabilities (n = 2), peers (n = 8), and teachers (n = 2) explored perceptions of the intervention on inclusion. Peers who went on to participate in recess clubs had more positive peer attitudes post-education session than peers who did not (U = 197.500, n
1 = 13, n
2 = 21, p = 0.029). Three themes were developed: (1) Increased disability knowledge, (2) Structured activity increased interaction, and (3) More education and recess sessions are needed. Findings suggest that brief interventions including class-wide education and facilitated recess clubs have the potential to support social inclusion for children with NDDs in middle school.