Self-regulation and performance in problem-solving using physical materials or computers in children with intellectual disability

This study compares self-regulation in 29 children with intellectual disability and 30 typically developing children, who solved tasks using physical materials or computers. Their cognitive, linguistic levels were assessed in order to match the children of both groups. In the presence of their mothers and fathers, the children were asked to perform eight tasks presented using two types of medium (physical materials and computer). Performance and task completion time were recorded. Seven self-regulated strategies were analyzed: identification of objective, planning, self-attention, self-motivation, joint attention, behaviour regulation and self-evaluation. Children in the two groups did not differ in their self-regulation, and in each group, their chronological age had no significant effect on their self-regulation. However, whatever the medium used, their mental age had a significant effect on their overall self-regulation and on six self-regulated strategies: identification of objective, planning, self-attention, self-motivation, behaviour regulation, and self-evaluation. A positive link between overall self-regulation and language abilities was only obtained in the group of typical developers. In addition, although no significant effect of the medium on overall self-regulation was observed in each group, an effect of the type of medium was obtained concerning three specific self-regulated strategies, though not in the same direction: self-attention and self-evaluation are better with the computer than with physical materials, whereas joint attention is better with physical materials than with the computer. In both groups, overall self-regulation, whatever the medium, correlated positively and highly significantly with performance in different tasks (but not with completion time). In each group, variable correlational patterns were obtained between specific self-regulated strategies and performance in each task with each medium: inter-task variability of efficiency of distinct strategies was observed.

Research highlights► We compare self-regulation in disabled and typical children in problem-solving. ► Their self-regulation did not differ even if the mental age had a significant effect. ► Self-regulation correlated positively and significantly with performance in tasks. ► Self-attention and self-evaluation are better with computers than physical materials. ► Joint attention is better with physical materials than with the computer.