Classroom behaviour, language competence, and the acceptance of children with Down syndrome by their mainstream peers

This study investigated the popularity of children with Down syndrome with their peers in mainstream classrooms using established sociometric techniques. The classroom behaviour of 16 children with Down syndrome aged 8 to 11 years were assessed and the relationship between these behaviours and acceptance investigated. For comparison, the relationship between classroom behaviour and acceptance of 122 typically developing children from the same classes was examined. The majority of the children with Down syndrome were found to enjoy average levels of acceptance in the class. Although behaviour problems were significantly worse in the children with Down syndrome, poor behaviour did not influence the other children to reject them. There was a different picture for typically developing children where there was a strong relationship between behaviour and peer acceptance. Language skills were also assessed for the children with Down syndrome. The children's language skills were not related to their popularity with the other children. Neither problem behaviours nor language difficulties influenced friendships in or out of the classroom for the children with Down syndrome.