Social Competence of Integrated Children With Mild Intellectual Disability

This study examines the social competence of integrated children with mild intellectual disability (ID) by comparing parents' and teachers' ratings. The relationships between social behaviors and age and whether these behaviors vary as a function of years of teaching experience and type of integration are also investigated. Data is obtained through self-report questionnaires completed by parents and teachers of 106 4-18 years aged integrated children with ID from Ankara, Turkey. Descriptive analysis results indicate that correlations between parents' and teachers' reports range from low to moderate. Prosocial behaviors increase along with age although the relationships vary with respect to parents' and teachers' ratings. Parents' reports of hyperactivity/overly sensitive scores differentiate according to years of teaching experience and type of integration. Teachers' reports of self-isolated/ritualistic and insecure/anxious scores vary based on years of teaching experience. Effect of type of integration on teachers' reports of self-isolated/ritualistic scores is found.