Peer influence on problem behaviors among students with intellectual disabilities

•Intellectual disability (ID) is associated with increased rates of problem behaviors.•Classmates’ problem behaviors did not influence general individual problem behavior development of students with ID.•Classroom peer influence was found for anxiety, problems in relating socially, and communication disturbances.•No classroom peer influence was found for disruptive/antisocial, self-absorbed and other problem behaviors.•The classroom peer context may be taken into account when intervening on problem behaviors in ID.