ABSTRACT This chapter describes our current understanding of the cognitive strengths and weakness... more ABSTRACT This chapter describes our current understanding of the cognitive strengths and weaknesses that are associated with Down syndrome. The chapter begins with a discussion of some of the difficulties of establishing cognitive profiles associated with Down syndrome. We then present the research that has investigated cognitive functions in those with Down syndrome and consider the implications of this research for learning and teaching. We conclude with some suggestions regarding the priorities for future research.
This prospective longitudinal study examined the stability of parent-reported mastery motivation ... more This prospective longitudinal study examined the stability of parent-reported mastery motivation in a sample of individuals with Down syndrome over a 20-year period. Twenty-five parents completed the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ) when their child with Down syndrome was aged 4-6 years. The DMQ was completed again when the children were 11 to 15 years of age. Ten years later, 21 of the parents completed the Dimensions of Adult Mastery Motivation Questionnaire, a recently developed extension of the DMQ for adults. There were strong positive correlations among measures of mastery motivation at the three time points. Parent reports of cognitive task persistence in both early childhood and adolescence were strongly related to persistence, preference for challenge, task absorption and task pleasure in young adulthood, with correlations ranging from .48 to .74 (p values < .05 to .001). In addition, early childhood motor persistence was strongly correlated with three of the fo...
Motivation is central to children’s learning. Without persistent effort, especially in the face o... more Motivation is central to children’s learning. Without persistent effort, especially in the face of failure, and an eagerness to engage in challenging tasks, individuals are unlikely to learn as effectively as they might. Because of their cognitive impairments, children with Down syndrome will almost certainly have difficulties with learning. These difficulties will be ameliorated somewhat by strong engagement with learning activities whereas problems with motivation are likely to further jeopardise their academic progress as well as potentially limiting achievements in other areas of life. In this chapter we begin with a general overview of motivation. Using the framework of mastery motivation, we review the relatively small amount of research about children with Down syndrome. We identify the individual characteristics and features of children’s environments that are likely to be related to lower or higher levels of mastery motivation. In the final section, we consider implications...
Meredith, PJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-2981-9189The importance of relationship factors in working therapeu... more Meredith, PJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-2981-9189The importance of relationship factors in working therapeutically with children has long been acknowledged. Relatedness, i.e. the experience of being connected to and of caring for and being cared for by others, is understood to be a basic psychological need in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan and Deci 2000). In pediatric settings, developing a positive therapeutic relationship can be a more complex undertaking than in settings with only one identified client. Therapists must establish effective working relationships with both parents and children (and sometimes others) who may differ widely in their preferences, priorities and goals, as well as in their ways of interacting with the therapist. Each person’s unique personality and previous experiences will influence their engagement in the therapeutic process with implications for collaborative goal setting. In this chapter, aspects of Relatedness relevant for goal setting will be considered, including the need for therapists to be alert to factors which may support or hinder effective goal setting and attainment
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2020
ABSTRACT Background With the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), cre... more ABSTRACT Background With the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), creation and implementation of participants’ plans are becoming a research focus. As many families facilitate the implementation of plans, it is important to understand the enablers and barriers to this process. Method This study investigated the experiences of 20 family groups with adult participants with intellectual disability as they implemented their NDIS plans. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed qualitatively. Results Results are reported in themes of increased opportunities, navigating bureaucracy, building partnerships and impact on families. Conclusions Implementing NDIS plans was complex. Funding was appreciated and enabled some adults to work towards their goals. Bureaucracy and the availability of suitable services and support workers were seen to be barriers. Further investigation about how families balance multiple roles as they work with their adult during planning and implementation is needed. Evaluations of the NDIS should include family experiences.
Curriculum decisions about what mathematics should be taught to students with Down syndrome in se... more Curriculum decisions about what mathematics should be taught to students with Down syndrome in secondary school are often based on utilitarian goals and assessments of current attainment. We report in this paper on the effect of an alternative approach - adjusting the standard mathematics curriculum for the year level - on students’ affective responses. Using three vignettes and the Educational Quality of Life framework we draw out implications for curriculum design for learners with Down syndrome, and more broadly, those with intellectual disability. We conclude by arguing for factoring in the impact on the affective domain of teaching the year-level mathematics curriculum, adjusted as required.
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 2005
Utilising a comparison research design of mothers involved in fostering (N = 28) and their peers ... more Utilising a comparison research design of mothers involved in fostering (N = 28) and their peers (N = 28), the major findings were that within the fostering group, those who had been fostering the longest had the lowest sense of efficacy, reflecting that the experience of providing foster care eroded parents' sense of their own skill. In terms of attachment to the children, the data suggested that foster carers may resist becoming too close to the children in their care in order to limit the emotional cost of subsequent separation. Importantly, there was no significant correlation between the length of time in providing foster care and marital satisfaction, which supports the notion that providing foster care does not, in itself, cause marital stress. While formal support services were more utilised by foster carers there was some indication that this group is not well integrated into the broader community. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that over the long-term providi...
Aim: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have difficulties that restrict their capacity for in... more Aim: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have difficulties that restrict their capacity for independent living in adulthood. This 20 year prospective longitudinal study investigated the trajectory of individual (mastery motivation and self-regulation) and contextual (maternal support for autonomy) characteristics, and their predictive associations with measures of adult functioning...
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2020
ABSTRACT Background: The study reported here investigated the views of staff who worked with adul... more ABSTRACT Background: The study reported here investigated the views of staff who worked with adults with intellectual disability regarding the likely future of such adults. Method: Staff were provided with a short vignette portraying an adult with intellectual disability and asked to describe that individual’s future in five years and then to indicate the likelihood of the individual’s participation in aspects of adult life reflecting life as typically experienced by age peers in the general population. Results: Responses suggested that staff did not expect the adults with intellectual disability to have the same experiences as their peers, although responses to direct questions about participation were more positive than those to the vignette. Conclusions: While choice was seen to be an important determinant of future activity by some staff, others did not see the individual with intellectual disability having a great deal of agency in determining the direction of their life.
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2021
Many teachers are sporadic in using evidencebased practice (EBP) concerning students with autism ... more Many teachers are sporadic in using evidencebased practice (EBP) concerning students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Numerous reasons have been posited for this. However, no single study has worked to understand the relative importance of identified criteria in the EBP decision-making processes of teachers. Through the development of a new survey tool, the Evidence-Based Practice Innovation Survey (EBPIAS), an exploration of the decision-making process of Australian teachers in their adoption and cessation of EBP was undertaken. Teachers rated the perception that an EBP would meet the needs of their students as the most important criteria in determining their use of EBP. Conversely, the judgement that an EBP did not meet the needs of their student was the most important criteria in their decision to cease use. In comparing the relevant importance of identified criteria, teachers rated the perception of training as the second-lowest consideration in their decision to adopt and cease using EBP. Consequently, there may need to be greater promotion of, or information concerning, the training required by teachers for effective implementation supporting a more balanced and holistic approach in assessing criteria impacting the adoption of EBP by teachers in the first instance, potentially lowering cessation rates.
The Oxford Handbook of Down Syndrome and Development, 2020
This chapter discusses the influences that siblings may have on developmental outcomes of childre... more This chapter discusses the influences that siblings may have on developmental outcomes of children with Down syndrome including those related to cognition, language, self-regulation, social-emotional functioning, and identity formation. As there is very little research available that addresses sibling influences on individuals with Down syndrome, the literature related to sibling influence within sibships comprising typically developing children has been used to provide a starting point to the discussion. The influential roles of siblings may include teacher; model and social referent; friend and foe; contrast; and advocate, protector, and caregiver. The quality of the sibling relationship may also influence developmental outcomes. The few investigations that have been conducted suggest that siblings make an important contribution to developmental outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome. In conclusion, directions for future research are discussed.
Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2020
Schools are central to the life of students and to their parents, and this is so whether or not t... more Schools are central to the life of students and to their parents, and this is so whether or not the child has a disability (Mann, Moni, & Cuskelly, 2016). Burke, Rios, and Aleman-Tovar (2020) are right to argue that more attention should be paid to the parent–school relationship as it has the potential to add to or ameliorate the stressors often associated with having a child with a disability (e.g., Patton, Ware, McPherson, Emerson, & Lennox, 2018). While some research on the roles of schools as supports or stressors, or both, of families has been conducted, there is a relatively little that has focused on parents of a child with a disability.
ABSTRACT This chapter describes our current understanding of the cognitive strengths and weakness... more ABSTRACT This chapter describes our current understanding of the cognitive strengths and weaknesses that are associated with Down syndrome. The chapter begins with a discussion of some of the difficulties of establishing cognitive profiles associated with Down syndrome. We then present the research that has investigated cognitive functions in those with Down syndrome and consider the implications of this research for learning and teaching. We conclude with some suggestions regarding the priorities for future research.
This prospective longitudinal study examined the stability of parent-reported mastery motivation ... more This prospective longitudinal study examined the stability of parent-reported mastery motivation in a sample of individuals with Down syndrome over a 20-year period. Twenty-five parents completed the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ) when their child with Down syndrome was aged 4-6 years. The DMQ was completed again when the children were 11 to 15 years of age. Ten years later, 21 of the parents completed the Dimensions of Adult Mastery Motivation Questionnaire, a recently developed extension of the DMQ for adults. There were strong positive correlations among measures of mastery motivation at the three time points. Parent reports of cognitive task persistence in both early childhood and adolescence were strongly related to persistence, preference for challenge, task absorption and task pleasure in young adulthood, with correlations ranging from .48 to .74 (p values < .05 to .001). In addition, early childhood motor persistence was strongly correlated with three of the fo...
Motivation is central to children’s learning. Without persistent effort, especially in the face o... more Motivation is central to children’s learning. Without persistent effort, especially in the face of failure, and an eagerness to engage in challenging tasks, individuals are unlikely to learn as effectively as they might. Because of their cognitive impairments, children with Down syndrome will almost certainly have difficulties with learning. These difficulties will be ameliorated somewhat by strong engagement with learning activities whereas problems with motivation are likely to further jeopardise their academic progress as well as potentially limiting achievements in other areas of life. In this chapter we begin with a general overview of motivation. Using the framework of mastery motivation, we review the relatively small amount of research about children with Down syndrome. We identify the individual characteristics and features of children’s environments that are likely to be related to lower or higher levels of mastery motivation. In the final section, we consider implications...
Meredith, PJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-2981-9189The importance of relationship factors in working therapeu... more Meredith, PJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-2981-9189The importance of relationship factors in working therapeutically with children has long been acknowledged. Relatedness, i.e. the experience of being connected to and of caring for and being cared for by others, is understood to be a basic psychological need in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan and Deci 2000). In pediatric settings, developing a positive therapeutic relationship can be a more complex undertaking than in settings with only one identified client. Therapists must establish effective working relationships with both parents and children (and sometimes others) who may differ widely in their preferences, priorities and goals, as well as in their ways of interacting with the therapist. Each person’s unique personality and previous experiences will influence their engagement in the therapeutic process with implications for collaborative goal setting. In this chapter, aspects of Relatedness relevant for goal setting will be considered, including the need for therapists to be alert to factors which may support or hinder effective goal setting and attainment
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2020
ABSTRACT Background With the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), cre... more ABSTRACT Background With the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), creation and implementation of participants’ plans are becoming a research focus. As many families facilitate the implementation of plans, it is important to understand the enablers and barriers to this process. Method This study investigated the experiences of 20 family groups with adult participants with intellectual disability as they implemented their NDIS plans. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed qualitatively. Results Results are reported in themes of increased opportunities, navigating bureaucracy, building partnerships and impact on families. Conclusions Implementing NDIS plans was complex. Funding was appreciated and enabled some adults to work towards their goals. Bureaucracy and the availability of suitable services and support workers were seen to be barriers. Further investigation about how families balance multiple roles as they work with their adult during planning and implementation is needed. Evaluations of the NDIS should include family experiences.
Curriculum decisions about what mathematics should be taught to students with Down syndrome in se... more Curriculum decisions about what mathematics should be taught to students with Down syndrome in secondary school are often based on utilitarian goals and assessments of current attainment. We report in this paper on the effect of an alternative approach - adjusting the standard mathematics curriculum for the year level - on students’ affective responses. Using three vignettes and the Educational Quality of Life framework we draw out implications for curriculum design for learners with Down syndrome, and more broadly, those with intellectual disability. We conclude by arguing for factoring in the impact on the affective domain of teaching the year-level mathematics curriculum, adjusted as required.
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 2005
Utilising a comparison research design of mothers involved in fostering (N = 28) and their peers ... more Utilising a comparison research design of mothers involved in fostering (N = 28) and their peers (N = 28), the major findings were that within the fostering group, those who had been fostering the longest had the lowest sense of efficacy, reflecting that the experience of providing foster care eroded parents' sense of their own skill. In terms of attachment to the children, the data suggested that foster carers may resist becoming too close to the children in their care in order to limit the emotional cost of subsequent separation. Importantly, there was no significant correlation between the length of time in providing foster care and marital satisfaction, which supports the notion that providing foster care does not, in itself, cause marital stress. While formal support services were more utilised by foster carers there was some indication that this group is not well integrated into the broader community. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that over the long-term providi...
Aim: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have difficulties that restrict their capacity for in... more Aim: Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have difficulties that restrict their capacity for independent living in adulthood. This 20 year prospective longitudinal study investigated the trajectory of individual (mastery motivation and self-regulation) and contextual (maternal support for autonomy) characteristics, and their predictive associations with measures of adult functioning...
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 2020
ABSTRACT Background: The study reported here investigated the views of staff who worked with adul... more ABSTRACT Background: The study reported here investigated the views of staff who worked with adults with intellectual disability regarding the likely future of such adults. Method: Staff were provided with a short vignette portraying an adult with intellectual disability and asked to describe that individual’s future in five years and then to indicate the likelihood of the individual’s participation in aspects of adult life reflecting life as typically experienced by age peers in the general population. Results: Responses suggested that staff did not expect the adults with intellectual disability to have the same experiences as their peers, although responses to direct questions about participation were more positive than those to the vignette. Conclusions: While choice was seen to be an important determinant of future activity by some staff, others did not see the individual with intellectual disability having a great deal of agency in determining the direction of their life.
Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2021
Many teachers are sporadic in using evidencebased practice (EBP) concerning students with autism ... more Many teachers are sporadic in using evidencebased practice (EBP) concerning students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Numerous reasons have been posited for this. However, no single study has worked to understand the relative importance of identified criteria in the EBP decision-making processes of teachers. Through the development of a new survey tool, the Evidence-Based Practice Innovation Survey (EBPIAS), an exploration of the decision-making process of Australian teachers in their adoption and cessation of EBP was undertaken. Teachers rated the perception that an EBP would meet the needs of their students as the most important criteria in determining their use of EBP. Conversely, the judgement that an EBP did not meet the needs of their student was the most important criteria in their decision to cease use. In comparing the relevant importance of identified criteria, teachers rated the perception of training as the second-lowest consideration in their decision to adopt and cease using EBP. Consequently, there may need to be greater promotion of, or information concerning, the training required by teachers for effective implementation supporting a more balanced and holistic approach in assessing criteria impacting the adoption of EBP by teachers in the first instance, potentially lowering cessation rates.
The Oxford Handbook of Down Syndrome and Development, 2020
This chapter discusses the influences that siblings may have on developmental outcomes of childre... more This chapter discusses the influences that siblings may have on developmental outcomes of children with Down syndrome including those related to cognition, language, self-regulation, social-emotional functioning, and identity formation. As there is very little research available that addresses sibling influences on individuals with Down syndrome, the literature related to sibling influence within sibships comprising typically developing children has been used to provide a starting point to the discussion. The influential roles of siblings may include teacher; model and social referent; friend and foe; contrast; and advocate, protector, and caregiver. The quality of the sibling relationship may also influence developmental outcomes. The few investigations that have been conducted suggest that siblings make an important contribution to developmental outcomes for individuals with Down syndrome. In conclusion, directions for future research are discussed.
Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2020
Schools are central to the life of students and to their parents, and this is so whether or not t... more Schools are central to the life of students and to their parents, and this is so whether or not the child has a disability (Mann, Moni, & Cuskelly, 2016). Burke, Rios, and Aleman-Tovar (2020) are right to argue that more attention should be paid to the parent–school relationship as it has the potential to add to or ameliorate the stressors often associated with having a child with a disability (e.g., Patton, Ware, McPherson, Emerson, & Lennox, 2018). While some research on the roles of schools as supports or stressors, or both, of families has been conducted, there is a relatively little that has focused on parents of a child with a disability.
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Papers by Monica Cuskelly