Fostering Friendships: Supporting Relationships among Youth with and without Developmental Disabilities.

Friendships matter. This simple statement encapsulates decades of research addressing the social lives of American adolescents. The relationships youth have with peers who share interests, activities, and other affiliations in common can have a substantial influence on the quality of life youth experience during and after high school. Indeed, thousands of studies highlight the contributions friendships can make to the social and academic development of youth, but also warn of the deleterious consequences associated with their absence (Bagwell & Schmidt, 2011). Through their friendships with same-age peers, youth find companionship, access emotional and practical supports, learn new skills, experience a sense of belonging, and—most of all—have fun. Indeed, research affirms what we all recognize first hand in our own lives—knowing and being known by others within the context of a friendship is an important aspect of what helps young people to flourish.