LE3 .A278 2001

2001

Sumarah, John

Acadia University

Master of Education

Masters

Counselling

Education

Interpersonal connections, friendships, and belonging play important roles in a person's emotional and physical well-being. However, recent studies reveal that persons with developmental disabilities often live with few connections and friendships, within unwelcoming communities. This qualitative study enters this relatively unexplored area of friendships between persons with and without developmental disabilities by interviewing existing friendship dyads in the intentional community of l'Arche. By examining friendship narratives in context, this research endeavours to describe these friendships, interpret factors that foster or inhibit their development, and identify communal influences on the relationship. Data was collected on 4 friend dyads through semi-structured, in-depth interviews of the friends together, and by participant observation during a commonplace event. Analysis of the friendship narratives yielded 19 themes that fell into 3 categories. A composite dialogue between 2 of the friends is offered to vividly portray the relationship and how the friends interacted.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:2883