title: Promoting friendship through best buddies: a national survey of college program participants.
abstract: Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through one-to-one friendships with individuals without disabilities. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Best Buddies College Program participants located within the United States. Survey findings suggest that college students and people with intellectual disabilities benefited from participation in Best Buddies. The vast majority of college students and people with intellectual disabilities reported enjoying their experience and engaging in friendship activities that were mutually beneficial to those involved. Most people with intellectual disabilities also indicated their lives had been enhanced as a result of Best Buddies, although the percentage was lower than that of college students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, 1705 E. Campus Center Dr., Rm. 221, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. hardman@ed.utah.edu
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hardman
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities