ARTICLE ANALYSIS AND INTRODUCTION

ASSIGNMENT
Title of the Article: Pragmatic Development In Individuals With
Mental Retardation: Learning To Use Language In Social
Interactions

Authors: Leonard Abbeduto and Linda J. Hesketh

Research Area(s): pragmatics, language, communication,

mental retardation

Journal: Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

Research Reviews (Wiley Online Library)

Date: Volume 3, Issue 4, 1997

Purpose: In this article, researchers try to examine
the pragmatic competence of people with mental
retardation and the ways in which their linguistic,
cognitive, and social emotional limitations impact
their acquisition and use of pragmatic
competence.

Participants: The selected publications that made up

the review's data totaled 197 and discussed
empirical studies carried out in 45 different
nations (Systematic Review)
Research Design: Quantitative Research (Systematic
review)

Data Collection Tools: PRISMA Checklist

Data Analysis: Content analysis

Procedure: The process of finding the data for the current study
began with the creation of a list of (a) search terms to use in the
databases, (b) databases to include in the search, and (c)
inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Major Findings: In summary, there is little reason to suppose

that the language-learning environment provided by parents is
the cause of the pragmatic difficulties observed in individuals
with mental retardation.
Conclusion: Parents provide an environment closely matched to
their children’s language capabilities. Although differences do
exist between the behavior of parents of prelinguistic children
with mental retardation and prelinguistic typically developing
children, a causal relationship has not been established
between those parental behaviors and the subsequent
pragmatic delays of children with mental retardation.
Any interesting information you want to share :
It is important to note that most studies in this area have
focused on very young children, especially those who are
prelinguistic or at the one-Word stage, and their parents.
Pragmatic development, however, continues well into
adolescence and perhaps into adulthood for persons with
mental retardation. There is a need, therefore, to examine the
linguistic environments of older children, adolescents, and
adults with mental retardation, and this will likely require
attention not only to the environments provided by parents but
also those provided by teachers, siblings, and peers.
Limitations:
In most studies of prelinguistic communication, the pragmatic
and cognitive skills of the participants were assessed using a
single measure at a single time period. There is evidence to
suggest that this may not be adequate. Longitudinal analyses
would be required to establish such a relationship, and such
analyses have yet to be conducted. Research on pragmatics in
people with mental retardation has focused on their
performance in conversational contexts. Pragmatic skills,
however, are required in other language tasks, including
narration, collaborative problem solving in school, and gaining
entry to the ongoing activities of others, as well as in a variety of
routine or scripted activities, such as ordering food in a
restaurant and riding on a bus.
Thank You!