Unpredictability and complexity of social interactions are important challenges for a low functioning autistic child. The objective of this research is to study how a mobile robot can, by appearing more predictable, appealing and simple than a human being, facilitate reciprocal interaction such as imitative play. By conducting an exploratory study involving four children, we found that forms of shared conventions such as imitation of body movements and of familiar actions are higher with two children paired with a human mediator, compared to two children paired with a robot mediator. However, the two children paired with the robot mediator demonstrated increased shared attention (visual contact, physical proximity) and imitate facial expressions (smile) more than the children paired with the human mediator.

Although young children with conduct disorder (CD) are suspected of having verbal and executive function deficits, most studies that investigated this hypothesis did not control for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, relatively little is known about the interaction between cognitive deficits and familial factors in explaining the onset and persistence of CD in children. The participants in this study were 57 children with CD and 35 controls aged 7 to 12 years. At 1-year follow-up, 41 of the participants with CD were reassessed. Children with CD were found to be significantly impaired in four of five executive function measures after ADHD symptoms and socioeconomic status (SES) were controlled. Executive function test performance, number of ADHD symptoms, and familial characteristics (SES, parental punishment) together correctly classified 90% of the participants. Only the number of ADHD symptoms was found to significantly improve prediction of CD 1 year later beyond that afforded by number of CD symptoms a year earlier. Findings indicate that children with CD and ADHD symptoms are especially at risk for persistent antisocial behaviour. Results also highlight the importance of treatment programs that cover both cognitive and familial aspects associated with CD.

Although young children with conduct disorder (CD) are suspected of having verbal and executive function deficits, most studies that investigated this hypothesis did not control for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, relatively little is known about the interaction between cognitive deficits and familial factors in explaining the onset and persistence of CD in children. The participants in this study were 57 children with CD and 35 controls aged 7 to 12 years. At 1-year follow-up, 41 of the participants with CD were reassessed. Children with CD were found to be significantly impaired in four of five executive function measures after ADHD symptoms and socioeconomic status (SES) were controlled. Executive function test performance, number of ADHD symptoms, and familial characteristics (SES, parental punishment) together correctly classified 90% of the participants. Only the number of ADHD symptoms was found to significantly improve prediction of CD 1 year later beyond that afforded by number of CD symptoms a year earlier. Findings indicate that children with CD and ADHD symptoms are especially at risk for persistent antisocial behaviour. Results also highlight the importance of treatment programs that cover both cognitive and familial aspects associated with CD.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an association exists between neuropsychological deficits and conduct disorder (CD) with and without concurrent attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, we explored the differential neuropsychological performance of aggressive and nonaggressive CD adolescents and the combined effect of this behavioral status and ADHD on performance. Fifty-nine adolescents (mean age of 15.4 years) who met the criteria for CD were compared with 29 controls comparable in age, gender, and socioeconomic status. A neuropsychological battery of current tests measuring executive functions and a battery of language tests were used in the study. Multivariate analyses showed that, compared with controls, CD adolescents had significantly lower verbal skills but did not differ on executive function measures. However, the lower verbal performance of CD adolescents is not explained by the existence of a CD subgroup with concomitant ADHD or aggressiveness. The study confirms with a sample of CD adolescents the association between verbal deficits and antisocial behavior when socioeconomic status is controlled. Our results also demonstrate that CD per se can be a sufficient condition for such deficits.

L'objectif de cette étude est d'évaluer s'il existe un lien entre deux principales dimensions de l'implication des parents à l'école, tant sur le plan de la qualité des soins que sur le plan de la qualité de la participation requise par l'école, et les comportements des élèves en classe en troubles d'apprentissage et du comportement. Les 67 sujets sont évalués par l'observation systématique des comportements des élèves en classe (Forget et Otis, 1988) et au moyen d'un questionnaire sur l'implication des parents à l'école (Fortin et al, 1991). Les résultats indiquent que, selon la perception de l'enseignante ou de l'enseignant, du directeur ou de la directrice, les parents de ces élèves en difficulté se distinguent de ceux des élèves ordinaires. La participation des parents à l'école, tant sur le plan de la qualité des soins offerts que sur celui de la qualité de la participation, est associée significativement aux comportements sociaux et aux comportements d'attention à la tâche des élèves en classe.The objective of this study is to evaluate the relation that exists between two important dimensions of parents' involvement in school, that relating to the quality of care and that relating to the quality of involvement required by the school, and the classroom behavior students with learning and behavior difficulties. The sample consisted of grid 67 subjects who were evaluated using a classroom observation grid (Forget et Otis, 1988). Data was also obtained from a questionnaire regarding parents' involvement in school (Forget et ai, 1991). Based on the perceptions noted on this questionnaire by the teacher and the director, the results indicate diffrence between parents of students with difficulties and those of students without difficulties. Parents' involvement in school, in terms of the quality of care given and in terms of the quality of their participation, is related significantly to various social behaviors and to task attentiveness in class.Este estudio évalua la existencia de una relacion entre dos dimensiones importantes respecto a la implicacion de los padres en la escuela, a la vez, en Io que concierne la calidad del cuidado, la calidad de la participaciôn requerida por la escuela y, las conductas de los alumnos que presentan problemas de aprendizaje y de conducta en clase. Los 67 sujetos son evaluados por intermedio de la observacion sistemâtica de las conductas de los alumnos en clase (Forget y Otis, 1988) y por intermedio de un cuestionario sobre la implicacion de los padres en la escuela (Fortin étal, 1991). Los resultados indican que, segun la percepcion del profesor o de la profesora, del director o de la directora, los padres de estos alumnos en dificultad se distinguen de los alumnos regulares. La implicacion de los padres en la escuela, tan to sobre el piano de la calidad de los cuidados ofrecidos que sobre el de la calidad de la participaciôn es asociada signiflcativamente a las conductas sociales y a las conductas de atencion a la tarea de los alumnos en clase.Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung is...