Nathalie Nader-Grosbois

Theory of Mind, Socio-Emotional Problem-Solving, Socio-Emotional Regulation in Children with Intellectual Disability and in Typically Developing Children

This study has examined the link between social information processing (SIP) and socio-emotional regulation (SER) in 45 children with intellectual disability (ID) and 45 typically developing (TD) children, matched on their developmental age. A Coding Grid of SER, focusing on Emotional Expression, Social Behaviour and Behaviours towards Social Rules displayed by children in three dyadic contexts (neutral, competitive or cooperative) was applied. Correlational analyses highlighted specific “bi-directional” links between some abilities in SIP and in SER, presenting between-groups partial similarities and dissimilarities that allowed discussing the developmental delay versus difference hypotheses in ID children. Cluster cases analyses identified subgroups with variable patterns of links. In both groups, the SIP and some categories of SER varied depending on developmental age.

Perceived social acceptance, theory of mind and social adjustment in children with intellectual disabilities

Perceived social acceptance, theory of mind (ToM) and social adjustment were investigated in 45 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) compared with 45 typically developing (TD) preschoolers, matched for developmental age assessed by means of the Differential Scales of Intellectual Efficiency-Revised edition (EDEI-R, Perron-Borelli, 1996). Childrens understanding of beliefs and emotions was assessed by means of ToM belief tasks (Nader-Grosbois & Thirion-Marissiaux, 2011) and ToM emotion tasks (Nader-Grosbois & Thirion-Marissiaux, 2011). Seven items from the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for children (PSPCSA, Harter & Pike, 1980) assessed childrens perceived social acceptance. Their teachers completed the Social Adjustment for Children Scale (EASE, Hughes, Soares-Boucaud, Hochmann, & Frith, 1997). For both groups together, the results showed that perceived social acceptance mediates the relation between ToM skills and social adjustment. The presence or absence of intellectual disabilities does not moderate the relations either between ToM skills and perceived social acceptance, or between perceived social acceptance and social adjustment. The study did not confirm the difference hypothesis of structural and relational patterns between these three processes in children with ID, but instead supported the hypothesis of a similar structure that develops in a delayed manner.

How could theory of mind contribute to the differentiation of social adjustment profiles of children with externalizing behavior disorders and children with intellectual disabilities

This study compared Theory of Mind (ToM) emotion and belief abilities in 43 children with externalized behavior (EB) disorders presenting low intelligence, 40 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and 33 typically developing (TD) preschoolers (as a control group), matched for developmental age. The links between their ToM abilities, their level in seven self-regulation strategies as displayed in social problem-solving tasks and their social adjustment profiles (assessed by the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation, completed by their teachers) were examined. Children with EB presented lower comprehension of causes of emotions and lower self-regulation of joint attention and of attention than children with ID and TD children. In comparison with TD children, lower social adjustment was observed in nearly all dimensions of profiles in both atypical groups. Specifically, children with EB were significantly angrier than children with ID. Although variable patterns of positive correlations were obtained in atypical groups between self-regulation strategies and ToM abilities, the most numerous positive links were obtained in the group with EB. Regression analyses showed that developmental age predicted ToM abilities and certain dimensions of social adjustment profiles in atypical groups. In the ID group, ToM emotions predicted general adaptation, affective adaptation, interactions with peers and with adults and low internalizing problems. In the EB group, general adaptation was predicted by ToM emotions and self-regulation, interactions with peers by ToM beliefs, and a low level of externalizing problems by ToM emotions. Some implications for intervention and perspectives for research are suggested.

Self-regulation and performance in problem-solving using physical materials or computers in children with intellectual disability

This study compares self-regulation in 29 children with intellectual disability and 30 typically developing children, who solved tasks using physical materials or computers. Their cognitive, linguistic levels were assessed in order to match the children of both groups. In the presence of their mothers and fathers, the children were asked to perform eight tasks presented using two types of medium (physical materials and computer). Performance and task completion time were recorded. Seven self-regulated strategies were analyzed: identification of objective, planning, self-attention, self-motivation, joint attention, behaviour regulation and self-evaluation. Children in the two groups did not differ in their self-regulation, and in each group, their chronological age had no significant effect on their self-regulation. However, whatever the medium used, their mental age had a significant effect on their overall self-regulation and on six self-regulated strategies: identification of objective, planning, self-attention, self-motivation, behaviour regulation, and self-evaluation. A positive link between overall self-regulation and language abilities was only obtained in the group of typical developers. In addition, although no significant effect of the medium on overall self-regulation was observed in each group, an effect of the type of medium was obtained concerning three specific self-regulated strategies, though not in the same direction: self-attention and self-evaluation are better with the computer than with physical materials, whereas joint attention is better with physical materials than with the computer. In both groups, overall self-regulation, whatever the medium, correlated positively and highly significantly with performance in different tasks (but not with completion time). In each group, variable correlational patterns were obtained between specific self-regulated strategies and performance in each task with each medium: inter-task variability of efficiency of distinct strategies was observed.

Variability of self-regulatory strategies in children with intellectual disability and typically developing children in pretend play situations

OBJECTIVE This study has examined whether or not self-regulatory strategies vary depending on pretend play situations in 40 children with intellectual disability and 40 typically developing children. METHOD Their cognitive, linguistic and individual symbolic play levels were assessed in order to match the children of the two groups. During two dyadic pretend play sessions (Itinerary, Creativity), their abilities in dyadic pretend play and in self-regulation were assessed by coding their behaviour via two validated grids. RESULTS The results showed similar overall levels in dyadic pretend play in both groups but a lower involvement was observed in disabled children. Some specific deficits and strengths in self-regulatory strategies were highlighted in children with intellectual disability. In both groups, non-structured Creativity situation induced weaker abilities in pretend play, and better self-evaluation strategy than in the structured Itinerary situation. In both groups, positive links between specific self-regulation strategies (identification of objective, planning, self-regulated attention, self-motivation, self-evaluation) and specific dyadic pretend play abilities (involvement, roles, actions, objects, social participation) are more numerous and higher in the structured Itinerary situation than in the Creativity situation.

Mother's, father's regulation and child's self-regulation in a computer-mediated learning situation

This study has explored the parents’ regulation strategies that were more likely to support children’s self-regulation in learning situations with computers. These strategies have been analysed by means of new grids involving seven categories of behaviour: cognitive strategies relating to identification of objective, exploration of means, attention and evaluation; motivational strategies; and socio-communicative strategies such as joint attention and request. 62 7-year-old children from Quebec families were examined with their mothers and fathers. The children were asked to complete two learning tasks that involved using LOGO software to draw a picture. Results indicated that parents’ regulation varied depending on their gender; a higher directivity was observed in mothers, more specifically through some specific strategies. Analysis of variance on repeated measures showed that, during the session, there was a decrease in the specification of the objective, the initiation of joint attention and of behaviour regulation in parents; and an improvement of the identification of the objective, planning and self-evaluation in children. Correlations between parental regulation and children’s self-regulation strategies indicated positive links concerning strategies relating to joint attention and to motivation; and negative links concerning strategies relating to the exploration of means and evaluation. A good adjustment of the parents’ regulation and the children’s self-regulation correlated positivel with success in the task. Methodological implications are proposed for research and psycho-educative intervention.RésuméCette étude a investigué quelles stratégies parentales sont plus susceptibles de soutenir l’autorégulation d’enfants en situation d’apprentissage médiatisé par l’ordinateur. Ces stratégies sont analysées au moyen de grilles intégrant: des stratégies cognitives d’identification de l’objectif, de planification et d’exploration de moyens, d’attention et d’évaluation; des stratégies motivationnelles; des stratégies socio-communicatives d’attention conjointe et de requête. 62 enfants québécois de 7 ans ont été examinés avec leurs mères et pères. L’apprentissage consistait à réaliser 2 dessins au moyen du logiciel LOGO. Les résultats ont indiqué que: la régulation des parents variait en fonction de leur sexe dans le sens d’une plus grande directivité maternelle mais particulièrement pour certaines stratégies. L’analyse de variance sur mesures répétées a montré qu’au cours de la séance, les parents diminuaient le rappel de l’objectif, l’initiation d’attention conjointe et de régulation du comportement; et les enfants amélioraient leur identification de l’objectif, leur planification et leur évaluation. Des relations positives sont obtenues entre les stratégies d’attention conjointe et de motivation respectives des enfants et des parents, des relations négatives sont obtenues quant aux stratégies respectives d’exploration et d’évaluation. Un bon ajustement de la régulation parentale et l’autorégulation des enfants sont liés positivement à la réussite à la tâche. Des implications méthodologiques sont dégagées pour la recherche et l’intervention psycho-éducative.

Emotional Cognition: Theory of Mind and Face Recognition

In the relevant literature, several authors1 have described a variety of skills that are necessary to develop emotional competence and emotional self-efficacy, even psychological well-being, in social situations.

Self-perception, self-regulation and metacognition in adolescents with intellectual disability

This study compares self-perception of competences in 28 typically developing children (TD) aged 7-9 years and 32 adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) aged 11-16 years in special school, matched for mental age (MA). The links between self-perception, self-regulation in problem-solving and metacognition are investigated. Overall self-perception and self-perception of competences by domain do not differ significantly between the two groups. Self-perception of competences in specific domains, self-regulation and metacognition vary depending on MA and verbal comprehension in the two groups. ID adolescents attribute more importance to social acceptance than TD children. In both groups, positive links are identified between self-perception and importance attributed to domains. Performance, self-regulation and metacognition are lower in ID adolescents than in TD children. Positive links are obtained between self-perception of competences in specific domains and certain self-regulatory and metacognitive strategies, although these links differ in the two groups.

Élaboration et validation d'un dispositif méthodologique pour l'observation de la régulation socioémotionnelle chez l'enfant

In referring to the social skills model developed by Yeates et al. (2007) and to behavioral categories included in several measures assessing emotional abilities and emotional regulation, we conceived a new experimental design allowing to elicit and to observe the socio-emotional regulation in children. The aim of this paper is to present this design corresponding to several socio-emotional problem-solving intended to the children who are in three interactive dyadic contexts (neutral, cooperative, competitive) and the validation of the coding grid. The results show a good concordance inter-judges and the coherence of the internal structure and the consistency of this coding grid. They suggest also some guidelines for the adjustment of this coding grid. The discussion of results helps to appreciate the relevance of this method, for researchers and practitioners.

Could Social Cognition Training Reduce Externalizing Behaviors andSocial Maladjustment in Preschoolers

Background: Recently, a social cognition training model has been developed and showed significant improvements on social cognition, social adjustment and externalizing behaviors in typically developing preschoolers. Objectives: Such model has been replicated in the current study in preschoolers with externalizing behaviors to test whether deficits in social cognition could cause deficits in social adjustment and externalizing behaviors in preschoolers. The effects of training in social information processing and Theory of Mind on social cognition, on emotion regulation, on social adjustment and on externalizing behaviors were examined. Methodology: After a pre-test, 37 children with externalizing behaviors were allocated either to an experimental group, which received 15 sessions of social cognition training in groups of 3-4 children, or to a control group. Results and conclusion: Through regression analyses, the Theory of Mind indirect, social information processing, emotion regulation and social adjustment measures were significantly predicted by group condition. The hypothesis that difficulties in social adjustment can be caused by deficits in social cognition is discussed.