Session order, with bathtime either first or third and free play either first or second, was counterbalanced across children.
Intrusive behavioural directives were produced slightly more during bathtime than play, while the other speech types were more frequent during play than during bathtime.
Play and bathtime transcripts were coded in two phases.
The requirements of bathing also seem to have heightened their intrusiveness, because intrusive behavioural directives were provided more frequently and at a greater rate during bathtime than play.
Supportive behavioural directives, encouraging actions on objects to which the children were currently attending, were considerably more likely to be produced, both absolutely and relatively, during free play than bathtime.
Maternal frequencies of supportive directives showed significant stability during the third interval in play and the second interval in bathtime (ro0.52, p<0.05).
The caregiver's interaction with this patient is minimal until bathtime.
