Mothers’ Perceptions Regarding the Social Competen

Authors: D Michael Malone

Publish Date: 2007/06/01

Volume: 19, Issue: 4, Pages: 365-383

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Abstract

This study explored mothers’ perceptions of the social competence of preschool children with mental retardation Fiftyfour mothers completed a 42 item questionnaire regarding children’s social competence Children’s cognitive and communicative developmental ages were determined using the Battelle Developmental Inventory Data are presented as percentage of mothers providing different response options Response differences were examined using the Test for Significance of Difference Between Two Proportions Association among developmental ages and mothers’ responses were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlations Mothers’ perceptions of their children’s social opportunities and skills were generally positive including interacting with children with and without disabilities initiating play interactions with other children responding positively to initiations by other children playing with others for more than brief amounts of time and demonstrating relatively sophisticated social play skills Associations among developmental ages and selected maternal responses support the notion that mothers are accurate observers of their children’s social activity and developmental ability Results are discussed relative to the extant literature

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