Social Status of Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Special Needs Schools: The Role of Students’ Problem Behavior and Descriptive Classroom Norms

ABSTRACT Introduction Individual social status among peers (i.e., acceptance and rejection) has important implications for students’ social and academic development. The present study investigates the role of individual problem behavior and classroom norms in the development of acceptance and rejection among students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in special needs schools. Methods School staff reported on problem behavior and social status of 1125 students with ID (M = 11.26 years, SD = 3.76; 31% female) in special needs schools at the beginning and end of a school year. Results More individual problem behavior at the beginning of the year predicted students’ lower acceptance and greater rejection at the end of the year, controlling for earlier problem behavior and other variables. The effect of problem behavior was independent of the prevailing classroom norms. Conclusion Our findings show that behavioral problems pose a risk for social exclusion of students with ID among their peers in special needs settings.