MASTERY MOTIVATION IN TODDLERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL-DISABILITIES

Prior research on school-age children with mental retardation indicate s that they are less motivated on tasks than mental-age-matched peers. In this study, mastery motivation on two tasks was compared for 1- an d 2-year-old children with motor impairment (n = 25), developmental de lay (n = 25), and typical development (n = 25), matched for mental age . The groups did not differ significantly on any measure of mastery mo tivation. The relative contribution of premature birth, a history of s eizure disorders, severity of cognitive delay, and maternal didactic i nteraction in predicting mastery motivation was examined for toddlers with developmental delay or motor impairment. Maternal didactic intera ction added a significant proportion of variance above and beyond othe r variables in predicting several aspects of mastery motivation in tod dlers with developmental disabilities.