A Meta-Analysis of Peer-Mediated Social Interventions for Secondary Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Peer relationships and social interactions in the classroom can facilitate learning, and peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) are frequently used to support the development and quality of social interactions between students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs) and their peers. This meta-analysis examined extant literature on PMI for secondary students with I/DD. We identified 37 studies and dissertations for inclusion in this review. Effect size (ES) estimates demonstrate significant positive effects in both group design (ES = 1.38) and single-case design (ES = 1.96). Across intervention types, peer networks (ES = 2.20) and peer support arrangements (ES = 2.25) produced larger effects than peer initiation/response interventions (ES = 1.53). Overall findings suggest that PMIs are efficacious in supporting social interactions between secondary students with I/DD and their peers and can be feasibly and successfully implemented by educators in school settings.