Use of low structured observation for assessing communicative intents in young children

Abstract

Thirty-six normally developing children (18 boys and 18 girls), evenly divided into three age groups from 13-30 months of age, were observed while playing with their mothers. Their communicative behaviours were recorded according to intent (comment, request, reject) and level (non-verbal, verbal-contextual and verbal-decon textual). Rejects occurred significantly less often than either comments or requests, which did not differ significantly, across age groups at nonverbal and verbal-contextual levels. Results were mixed at the decontextual level. Decontextual utterances were very infrequent, as were maternal decontextual utterances in a follow-up tally. This finding appeared to be a function of the play materials. Implications for the use of low structured observation are discussed.