ABSTRACT
Perhaps at no time in history have so many diverse theoretical perspectives converged on the importance of positive peer interaction to human development. Even medical models now acknowledge the benefits of peer support to physical and emotional well-being. One recent media frenzy centered on a book (Harris, 1998) that convincingly reinterpreted decades of research to support the claim that peers significantly outweigh parents in their influence on child development. Of course, it is no news that poor peer relations in childhood are well-documented “red flags” for a variety of later academic, emotional, and vocational problems (see Bukowski, Newcomb, & Hartup, 1996; Crick & Dodge, 1994; Gresham & Macmillan, 1997, for reviews). Conversely, close peer relations can be a powerful buffer for the life stressors that children face (e.g., Juvonen & Wentzel, 1996). For example, talking with friends seems to be an important source of social support and affiliation (e.g., Denton & Zarbatany, 1996). Yet, surprisingly little is known about the social worlds of children for whom positive communication with peers may be most essential, that is, those with significant language learning difficulties.
