Social Interaction Goals and Strategies of Children with Learning Disabilities

Previous research on the social competence of LD children has primarily focused on social skill or social processing deficits. The present research examines two hypotheses: (1) that LD children differ not only in their social strategies but also in their goals for social interaction and (2) that differences in the social goals and strategies of LD children are developmentally related. Forty-eight second- through fifth-grade boys were shown four hypothetical social situations and were individually interviewed about their goals and strategies. Each social situation was presented in an explicit prosocial goal and a no-goal condition. Data analysis proceeded sequentially with a content analysis of the responses followed by an analysis of the interpersonal developmental level of responses. LD children were found to perform with less social competence and at lower developmental levels than nonhandicapped peers; however, social competence differences were limited to peer conflict situations. Results of the study are discussed with respect to (1) the variability of LD childreny's social competence across interactional contexts, (2) the importance of LD children's social goals as well as their social skills, and (3) the potential utility of an interpersonal developmental model for conceptualizing LD children's social competence.