Entry behavior and emotion regulation abilities of developmentally delayedboys

This study investigated the social deficits of developmentally delayed chil dren. Participants were 43 five-year-old to eight-year-old boys. Delayed ch ildren (n = 20) were compared with nondelayed children of similar chronolog ical age (CA nondelayed; n = 20) and of similar mental age (n = 8). The beh avior and emotion regulation strategies of participants were assessed in an analogue entry situation. Delayed children were just as able as nondelayed children to understand the play themes of others but were more intrusive i n delivering their entry attempts. Delayed children appeared to have less e ffective emotion regulation strategies for coping with entry failure and we re more likely to increase their use of disruptive entry strategies over ti me than CA nondelayed children.