Discussions on friendship between adults with mental retardation and their nondisabled peers often address the connections between satisfying relationships and quality of life for those who are mentally retarded. However, strategies for facilitating satisfying and sustaining heterogeneous relationships will depend on a greater understanding of these relationships as they are perceived by the peers without disabilities. Results of this study indicated that, in the early stages of joint participation in community recreation activities, nondisabled adults can be cautious, yet optimistic about developing “friendships” with peers with mental retardation. Although positive relationships do develop, they are often perceived to be, by comparison to existing relationships, friendship-like relationships based partly on obligation and/or altruism.
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