FDP Research and Outcomes

The FDP has over ten years of program implementation, data collection, and research behind it.

Key Findings

Decreased incidents of interpersonal violence: the average number of incidents of interpersonal violence significantly decreased over the program from:

• 3.4 at baseline, 
• 1.5 at the end of the program, and 
• 0.7 ten weeks after the program ended.​

Increase in size of social network: participants’ social network size significantly increased from an average of:

• 5.4 people at baseline,
• 7.0 people at the end if the program, and
• ten weeks later, social network size remained elevated at 6.7 people.

Peer-reviewed articles about the program’s effectiveness

• Ward, K.M., Atkinson, J.P., Smith, C.A., & Windsor, R. (2013). A friendships & dating program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A formative evaluation. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 51(1), 22-32.
• Ward, K. M., Windsor, R., & Atkinson, J. P. (2012). A process evaluation of the Friendships and Dating Program for adults with developmental disabilities: Measuring the fidelity of program delivery. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(1), 69-75.