Difficultés dans la communication mère-enfant et troubles du langage chez les enfants avec un retard mental.

Abstract

Basing on a critical examination of the relations between cognitive difficulties and language disorders in mentally retarded children, and on a justification of the theoretical criterions to apply when comparing normal and retarded children, the authors study the linguistic interaction between 8 mothers and their mentally retarded children. The children are divided in two subgroups, matched for mental age and gravity of the mental retardation. The linguistic level of the 4 children of the first group is compatible with their cognitive level, the linguistic level of the 4 children of the second group is much lower compared to their cognitive level. The results are discussed concentrating the attention on three points : 1 . the research consequences resulting from the heterogeneity between mentally retarded children ; 2. the possible signification of the differences found between the two groups of mothers ; 3. the problems in mother-child-interaction and language acquisition in mentally retarded children.