The nature of social preference and interactions in Smith-Magenis syndrome.
Smith-Magenis syndrome creates an adult-focused attention bias that blocks peer learning—fix it with planned peer contact.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team watched 20 children with Smith-Magenis syndrome play. They also watched 20 kids with Down syndrome who were the same mental age.
The kids chose between sitting with an adult or sitting with another child. Cameras tracked where they looked and how they took turns talking.
What they found
Kids with Smith-Magenis syndrome picked the adult a large share of the time. Kids with Down syndrome picked the peer a large share of the time.
The Smith-Magenis group also had shorter back-and-forth chats. They started fewer new topics and ended conversations faster.
How this fits with other research
McGonigle et al. (2014) also used Down syndrome kids as controls. They found these kids show less creativity with toys. Together, the two studies show Down syndrome kids can still play well with peers even when they struggle with other skills.
Laugeson et al. (2014) studied Fragile X syndrome. Those kids avoided peers because they felt scared. Smith-Magenis kids seem to prefer adults for a different reason—they simply find adults more interesting.
Capio et al. (2013) saw that kids with high-functioning autism looked fine during short lab tasks. But parents reported big social gaps at home. This warns us that short clinic visits may miss the real social struggles in Smith-Magenis too.
Why it matters
If you work with a child who has Smith-Magenis syndrome, plan extra peer practice. Use short turns, clear roles, and adult fading. Start with one peer and reward shared play. Track eye gaze to see if the child looks at the peer more over time.
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Pair the child with one preferred peer for a 5-minute sharing game. Stand back two steps and praise every turn toward the peer.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
This natural observation study was designed to evaluate hypothesized elevated 'attention-seeking' and preference for adult attention in Smith-Magenis syndrome. Ten children with Smith-Magenis syndrome were observed across one school day, together with an age matched sample of 10 children with Down syndrome. Levels of attention given to, and vigilance for, adults and peers were recorded and compared. Sequences of behaviour were analyzed to evaluate the temporal relationships between giving and receiving attention during adult-child interactions. Compared to children with Down syndrome, children with Smith-Magenis syndrome gave preferential attention to adults and looked towards adults significantly more than they looked towards peers. Sequential analyses revealed that while children with Smith-Magenis syndrome did not initiate interactions with adults more than children with Down syndrome did, reciprocity between child and adult social behaviours in Smith-Magenis syndrome within interactions was compromised. This less synchronous sequence of child and adult interactions in Smith-Magenis syndrome may be the result of children with Smith-Magenis syndrome attempting to initiate interaction at times when it is unavailable. The marked preference for interacting with adults over peers in Smith-Magenis syndrome indicates atypicality of social interaction in this syndrome.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.09.014