This study looked at 33 children with Down syndrome aged between 10–15 years along with a group of 33 typically developing 3–8 year-old children.

The study authors measured motivation through observational assessments of curiosity, preference for challenge, and persistence, and also took reports from the children’s mothers.

They found no significant group differences on motivation tasks. Mothers of the children with Down syndrome however rated their children significantly lower on motivation than parents of the typically developing children.

The authors suggest that their findings challenge views that individuals with learning disabilities are deficient in motivation.

Observational Assessment and Maternal Reports of Motivation in Children and Adolescents With Down Syndrome, Gilmore L & Cuskelly M, in Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 116, 2, 153-164.