Individual differences in the interactions of mothers and their mentally handicapped children

Abstract

That mothers of mentally handicapped children are more directive than mothers of non-handicapped children has become a major theme in comparative research, with widespread theoretical and practical implications. This study used a correlational design to explore the nature of maternal directiveness within a sample of 25 mentally handicapped children, aged 2-5 years, and their mothers. A 15-minute semi-structured interaction was coded for each dyad, using a behaviour rating scale. The major findings were: (a) while maternal directiveness was not related to children's readability (signals), it was related to but other maternal behaviours; (b) individual differences were observed in the way maternal directiveness combined with other maternal behaviours; and (c) maternal interactional style was related to both children's on-going behaviours and developmental competence. These results are discussed in context of existing evidence, drawing implications for future research.