THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPATHY AND FRIENDSHIP QUALITY AMONG SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS IN INCLUSIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

One of the key benefits of an inclusive education for special needs students is having the chance to participate more socially and establish friendships with students who do not have special needs. In studying friendship, quality is the most important aspect because it can determine one’s level of satisfaction in the friendship. Empathy is one key factor that could predict friendship quality. This research was conducted to identify the relationship between empathy and friendship quality among students with special needs at inclusive elementary schools. This is a correlational study and research variables were measured using selfreporting questionnaires. Empathy was measured using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) developed by Gresham and Elliot (2008), while friendship quality was measured using the Friendship Quality Questionnaire (FQQ) developed by Parker and Asher (1993). Research participants included 108 special needs student from five areas in Jakarta. The results show that there is a significant relationship (r = 0.221, p < 0.05) between empathy and friendship quality among students with special needs at inclusive elementary schools in Jakarta. We can therefore conclude that the higher the student empathy, the higher the quality of their friendships.