THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANNING SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT MENTAL-RETARDATION

This study examines the planning skills of children with and without mental retardation. Thirty-two children, 16 from each group, were compared on their planning strategies, task management, and bids for adult assistance while searching for items in a model grocery store. Children with retardation spent less time visually surveying the store in the course of developing their plans than children without retardation. Also, children with retardation made more item errors and requested more assistance from the experimenter than children without retardation. Age differences in planning skill appeared only for children without retardation, suggesting that the developmental course for these skills may differ between the two populations.