NEGOTIATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT

This study examined the ability of 6 children with specific language i mpairment (SLI), ages 8;10 to 12;5 (yr; mon) to participate in a negot iation sequence with 2 some-age peers in triadic interactions. Negotia tion sequences were analyzed using a system based on Selman's interper sonal negotiation strategies (INS) model (Selman, 1981). The negotiati on skills of children with SLI were compared to those of 6 children ma tched for chronological age (CA) and 6 children of similar language (L S) abilities, participating in the same task. Children with SLI did no r produce significantly fewer utterances than the partners with whom t hey interacted. However, they did produce a significantly smaller perc entage of the negotiation strategies produced by their triads. They al so used developmentally lower level strategies than either of the part ners in their triads. Children interacting within the CA and LS triads did not produce similar differences.