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DeVeney SL, Dotan S, Weberman I, Julius MS, Adi-Japha E. Dynamics of Motor Skill Learning in American and Israeli Toddlers With Varied Language Proficiency. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024:1-16. [PMID: 39392908 DOI: 10.1044/2024_ajslp-24-00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the present study was twofold: to determine if deficits in motor skill proficiency and learning were present in 2-year-old children identified with early expressive language delay compared to peers without the delay, and to distinguish how motor skill proficiency and learning behaviors may manifest differently across culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. METHOD The study involved 54 children (24-36 months of age), 23 of whom were identified as having an expressive language delay. Furthermore, 16 participants were American and English-speaking and 38 were Israeli and Hebrew-speaking. After motor and language skill proficiency was assessed using a variety of measures, each child and participating parent were introduced to a nonsymmetrical-shaped insertion task so that motor learning skills could be observed. This block insertion task was observed for each child at three time points and included a transfer task (same task, new nonsymmetrical shape). RESULTS Children with early expressive language delay were statistically significantly more likely to exhibit deficits in fine-motor proficiency than peers without language delay, regardless of country of origin or language spoken. Furthermore, participants with language delay demonstrated significantly higher error rates in transfer task completion compared with peers. Finally, participants in the U.S. sample indicated lower fine-motor skills and higher error rates than those in the Israeli sample. CONCLUSION Differences in motor skill proficiency were universally associated with language delay status, indicating support for the notion that language acquisition deficits may extend beyond the linguistic system even in young children identified as late talkers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shirly Dotan
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Inbal Weberman
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Mona S Julius
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Academic College Levinsky-Wingate, Tel-Aviv, Israel
- The Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Esther Adi-Japha
- Faculty of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Wang SH, Basch S. A cultural perspective of action-based learning by infants and young children. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 67:164-199. [PMID: 39260903 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2024.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Decades of research have informed about ways in which infants and young children learn through action in connection with their sensory system. However, this research has not strongly addressed the issues of cultural diversity or taken into account everyday cultural experiences of young learners across different communities. Diversifying the scholarship of early learning calls for paradigm shifts, extending beyond the analysis at the individual level to make close connections with real-world experience while placing culture front and center. On the other hand, cultural research that specifies diversity in caregiver guidance and scaffolding, while providing insights into young learners' cultural experiences, has been conducted separately from the research of action-based cross-modal learning. Taking everyday activities as contexts for learning, in this chapter, we summarize seminal work on cross-modal learning by infants and young children that connects action and perception, review empirical evidence of cultural variations in caregiver guidance for early action-based learning, and make recommendations of research approaches for advancing the scientific understanding about cultural ways of learning across diverse communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Hua Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States.
| | - Samantha Basch
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
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Focaroli V, Taffoni F, Velardi A, Caravale B, Keller F. Object Exploration and Manipulation in Infants at Typical vs. Elevated Likelihood for ASD: A Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:825. [PMID: 39062274 PMCID: PMC11276247 DOI: 10.3390/children11070825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The present review considers the growing body of literature on fine motor skills in infants at elevated genetic likelihood (EL) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This area of study aims to identify crucial motor markers associated with the disorder, facilitating earlier and more accurate identification of ASD, using various experimental methodologies, including standardized assessments, observational measures, and technological tools. The reviewed evidence revealed distinct developmental trajectories in EL infants, marked by differences in fine motor skills and exploratory behaviors compared to typically developing infants. We discuss the developmental trajectory of fine motor skills in infants and their predictive value for later ASD diagnosis, highlighting the significance of fine motor skills as early indicators of ASD risk in infants and emphasizing the need for further research to elucidate their predictive value and underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Focaroli
- Department of Economic, Psychological and Communication Sciences, Niccolò Cusano University, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Taffoni
- CREO LAB, Advanced Robotics and Human Centred-Technologies Laboratory, Campus Bio-Medico University, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Velardi
- Department of Humanities, Motor Sciences and Education, Niccolò Cusano University, 00166 Rome, Italy;
| | - Barbara Caravale
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Flavio Keller
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience, Campus Bio-Medico University, 00128 Rome, Italy;
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B Cunha A, Orlando JM, Alghamdi ZS, Lobo MA. Depth and Quality of Recommendations in Popular Sources About How to Play with Infants: Content Analysis. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2024; 44:874-896. [PMID: 38952029 DOI: 10.1080/01942638.2024.2371807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
AIM Systematically evaluate the depth and quality of play recommendations provided in popular sources for parents of infants in the first year of life. METHODS This represents the second stage of a larger analysis of educational content available to parents. Two coders (>90% agreement) extracted and coded play activities from popular websites, applications, and books screened from a systematic online search. Depth of instruction variables were extracted. Activity quality was rated based on opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, and responsive communication. RESULTS 4370 play activities from 214 sources were analyzed. Activities were likely to suggest specific ages for infants and that a caregiver be present. Less than half of the activities incorporated toys or provided guidance about how to position or physically support infants. Activity quality was low; most activities did not explicitly encourage parents to provide opportunities for child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, or quality communication. CONCLUSIONS Parents may encounter a large number of play activities in popular sources, but the depth of instruction and quality of those activities could be improved. Provision of higher-quality education to parents may enhance parent-child play interactions to positively impact parent and child outcomes, especially for children at risk for delays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea B Cunha
- Department of Physical Therapy, Munroe Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Julie M Orlando
- Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Zainab S Alghamdi
- Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Michele A Lobo
- Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
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Franchak JM, Adolph KE. An update of the development of motor behavior. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2024:e1682. [PMID: 38831670 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
This primer describes research on the development of motor behavior. We focus on infancy when basic action systems are acquired-posture, locomotion, manual actions, and facial actions-and we adopt a developmental systems perspective to understand the causes and consequences of developmental change. Experience facilitates improvements in motor behavior and infants accumulate immense amounts of varied everyday experience with all the basic action systems. At every point in development, perception guides behavior by providing feedback about the results of just prior movements and information about what to do next. Across development, new motor behaviors provide new inputs for perception. Thus, motor development opens up new opportunities for acquiring knowledge and acting on the world, instigating cascades of developmental changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social domains. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Cognitive Development Psychology > Motor Skill and Performance Neuroscience > Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Franchak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Karen E Adolph
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, USA
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Contino K, Campbell JM, Marcinowski EC, Michel GF, Ramos ML, Coxe S, Hayes T, Nelson EL. Hand preference trajectories as predictors of language outcomes above and beyond SES: Infant patterns explain more variance than toddler patterns at 5 years of age. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2024; 33:e2468. [PMID: 39170910 PMCID: PMC11335320 DOI: 10.1002/icd.2468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Prior studies found hand preference trajectories predict preschool language outcomes. However, this approach has been limited to examining bimanual manipulation in toddlers. It is not known whether hand preference during infancy for acquiring objects (i.e., reach-to-grasp) similarly predicts childhood language ability. The current study explored this motor-language developmental cascade in 90 children. Hand preference for acquiring objects was assessed monthly from 6 to 14 months and language skill was assessed at 5 years. Latent class growth analysis identified three infant hand preference classes: left, early right, and late right. Infant hand preference classes predicted 5-year language skills. Children in the left and early right classes, who were categorized as having a consistent hand preference, had higher expressive and receptive language scores relative to children in the inconsistent late right class. Consistent classes did not differ from each other on language outcomes. Infant hand preference patterns explained more variance for expressive and receptive language relative to previously reported toddler hand preference patterns, above and beyond socioeconomic status (SES). Results suggest that hand preference, measured at different time points across development using a trajectory approach, is reliably linked to later language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaityn Contino
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Julie M. Campbell
- Department of Psychology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | | | - George F. Michel
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Michelle L. Ramos
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Stefany Coxe
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Timothy Hayes
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Eliza L. Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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Delehanty A, Lorio CM, Romano M, Brown JA, Woods JJ, Wetherby AM. Social Communication and Parent Verbal Responsiveness Across Interaction Contexts in Toddlers on the Autism Spectrum. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2024; 33:1266-1282. [PMID: 38407116 PMCID: PMC11081527 DOI: 10.1044/2024_ajslp-23-00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Interactions with caregivers during the ordinary activities that occur as families go about their everyday lives are critical to supporting children's acquisition of social communication and language skills. The purpose of this study was to examine child communication and parent verbal responsiveness across interaction contexts in 211 children (Mage = 20 months) on the autism spectrum (n = 121), with developmental delay (n = 46), or with typical development (n = 44). METHOD Families participated in up to eight activities during an hour-long, video-recorded home observation. We tested differences in the strength of associations between diagnostic group and interaction context using linear mixed-effects models, with child rate per minute of communication and proportions of parent follow-in comments and directives as outcome variables. Child communicative functions expressed across contexts were also examined. RESULTS Children across groups communicated at significantly higher rates per minute during book sharing and play with people compared to other interaction contexts. Most child communication was for the function of joint attention during book sharing, for social interaction during play with people, and for behavior regulation during necessary activities such as family chores and meals. On average, parents of children responded using proportionally more follow-in comments during book sharing and play compared to necessary activities, during which parents used more follow-in directives. CONCLUSION Results provide a glimpse into the dyadic communication that may occur within everyday activities at home, which supports the need for future intervention research and may aid clinicians seeking to identify activities that serve as important contexts for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Delehanty
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Ciera M. Lorio
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, Illinois State University, Normal
| | - Mollie Romano
- School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | - Jennifer A. Brown
- Mary Frances Early College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens
| | - Juliann J. Woods
- Emeritus Professor, School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University, Tallahassee
| | - Amy M. Wetherby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee
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Taylor MA, Coxe S, Nelson EL. Early object skill supports growth in role-differentiated bimanual manipulation in infants. Infant Behav Dev 2024; 74:101925. [PMID: 38286042 PMCID: PMC11194832 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.101925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
The ability to coordinate the hands together to act on objects where each hand does something different is known as role-differentiated bimanual manipulation (RDBM). This study investigated two motor skills that may support the development of RDBM: infants' early object skill and their early sitting skill. To evaluate these potential predictors of RDBM growth, 90 infants were examined in a lab-based longitudinal design over a 9-month period. Latent growth modeling was used to estimate RDBM growth trajectories over 9 to 14 months from infants' object and sitting skills at 6 months, controlling for infant's sex, mother's education, and family income. Higher object skill, controlling for sitting skill, was related to a higher increase in RDBM over time. Sitting did not predict infants' change in RDBM over time, controlling for object skill. The ability to manage multiple objects may support collaborative hand use by providing infants with opportunities to practice actions that will be needed later for RDBM. By comparison, sitting may free the hands in an unspecified manner for manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A Taylor
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA
| | - Stefany Coxe
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA
| | - Eliza L Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA.
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Karimi A, Nelson EL. Motor-language links in children with Down syndrome: a scoping review to revisit the literature with a developmental cascades lens. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1275325. [PMID: 37849475 PMCID: PMC10577202 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1275325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Children with Down syndrome (DS) typically have motor and language needs. Improving function is a shared goal for the rehabilitation therapy team, however physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology professionals treat patients differently. This difference in care may mask developmental cascades whereby changes in one domain (e.g., motor) can have seemingly unexpected effects on another domain (e.g., language). Objective This scoping review identified papers where motor and language data have been reported together in children with DS and reinterpreted findings from a developmental cascades lens. Design Online databases were used to identify 413 papers published before October 2021 from which 33 papers were retained that reported both motor (gross and/or fine) and language (expressive and/or receptive) data in individuals with DS with a chronological age of 0-18 years. Results The majority of papers (79%) that reported motor and language data in children with DS did not examine their link, while 12% analyzed motor-language links, but using a cross-sectional or retrospective design. Only three papers (9%) utilized a longitudinal design to examine predictive links. Conclusion Motor functioning and language functioning have often been reported together, but not analyzed together, in studies of children with DS. The few studies that did analyze motor-language links largely replicated findings from other developmental populations where motor gains were positively linked to language gains. Analyzing links between domains when such data is available is needed to fully characterize developmental cascades in DS and may have broad clinical implications.
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Orlando JM, Cunha AB, Alghamdi Z, Lobo MA. Information Available to Parents Seeking Education about Infant Play, Milestones, and Development from Popular Sources. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13050429. [PMID: 37232666 DOI: 10.3390/bs13050429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Parents commonly seek information about infant development and play, yet it is unclear what information parents find when looking in popular sources. Play, Milestone, and Development Searches in Google identified 313 sources for content analysis by trained researchers using a standardized coding scheme. Sources included websites, books, and apps created by professional organizations, commercial entities, individuals, the popular press, and government organizations/agencies. The results showed that for popular sources: (1) author information (i.e., qualifications, credentials, education/experience) is not consistently provided, nor is information about the developmental process, parents' role in development, or determining an infant's readiness to play; (2) milestones comprise a majority of the content overall; (3) search terminology impacts the information parents receive; (4) sources from the Milestone and Development Searches emphasized a passive approach of observing developmental milestones rather than suggesting activities to actively facilitate learning and milestone development. These findings highlight the need to discuss parents' online information-gathering process and findings. They also highlight the need for innovative universal parent-education programs that focus on activities to facilitate early development. This type of education has potential to benefit all families, with particular benefits for families with children who have unidentified or untreated developmental delays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M Orlando
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Andrea B Cunha
- Physical Therapy Department, Munroe Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68106, USA
| | - Zainab Alghamdi
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
| | - Michele A Lobo
- Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
- Physical Therapy Department, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19713, USA
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