Limitations and Future Directions
Given the lack of studies on the ecological constraints of object
retrieval skills in the DS population, we conducted a pilot study with a
relatively small sample size. Future studies should attempt to replicate
the results with larger sample sizes and longitudinal/cross-sectional
comparison of this skill. Additionally, the current study included only
a mental-age matched TD control, however, future studies should recruit
children with other developmental disabilities to assess the sensitivity
and specificity of means end delays in the DS population. Lastly, the
current study did not assess the differential impact of task and
contextual complexity on the means end exploratory behaviors of children
with DS. For an in-depth investigation of this skill, future studies
should include a variety of tasks with varying complexities/context.