Mental deficiency, behavioral autonomy and solving-problem in early period:: factorial analysis of parent-child behaviors with non-defective and Down's syndrome toddler

The empirical studies of tutoring until now were concerned little with the situation of the children carrying an early mental deficiency placed in situation of interactions of assisted training of sensorimotor level. By having recourse to a comparative approach between dyads non-defective parend-child of second year of life and parent-child carrying a Down syndrome of the same age of development, the present study shows that the parental interventions of the two populations are characterized primarily by a request of autonomous operation on behalf of the child. On their side, the children of the two populations take an active share in the resolution of the problem, and this even in the absence of parental intervention. The discussion analyses the influence of Down syndrome characteristics on the task achievement and the influence of the parental strategies. (c) 2006 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits reserves.