A Comparison of Conversational Patterns Between Mothers and their Down Syndrome and Normal Infants

The purpose of this study was to compare conversational patterns between mothers and Down syndrome children with those between mothers and normally developing children. Patterns of maternal interaction with 2- and 3-year-old Down syndrome children and a developmentally matched sample of nonretarded children were analyzed with the turn-taking paradigm developed by Kaye & Charney (1980, 1981). The results of this comparison indicated that mothers of Down syndrome children were more dominant and their children less active communication partners than their normal counterparts. Post hoc analyses suggested that mothers of Down syndrome children may be more directive as a result of their efforts to induce their children to increase their activity level. Implications of these findings for children's language development were discussed.