1
|
Léniz-Maturana L, Vilaseca R, Leiva D, Gallardo-Rodríguez R. Positive Parenting and Sociodemographic Factors Related to the Development of Chilean Children Born to Adolescent Mothers. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1778. [PMID: 38002869 PMCID: PMC10670009 DOI: 10.3390/children10111778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
The lack of economic resources has a negative effect on the maternal role of younger mothers. In Chile, the majority of adolescent pregnancies occur in socially and economically vulnerable contexts. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between demographic variables within the family context and parenting behaviors among Chilean adolescent mothers (including affection, responsiveness, encouragement, and teaching). These factors were correlated with communication, problem-solving abilities, and personal-social development in typically developing infants. The study included a sample of 79 Chilean adolescent mother-child dyads with children aged 10 to 24 months. Communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3, along with a demographic information questionnaire. The parenting behaviors mentioned above were observed using the Spanish version of Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes. The findings indicated that mothers in employment and those who had not dropped out of school had children with better problem-solving skills. Additionally, children residing with their fathers and female children performed better in communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development. Maternal responsiveness was associated with communication and problem-solving, while maternal encouragement was linked to improved problem-solving skills. Maternal teaching was connected to communication, problem-solving, and personal-social development. The study emphasized the significance of parenting and sociodemographic factors among adolescent mothers and their influence on their children's development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Léniz-Maturana
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rosa Vilaseca
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - David Leiva
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Rodrigo Gallardo-Rodríguez
- Department of Sport Science and Physical Conditioning, Faculty of Education, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4070129, Chile;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fusaroli R, Weed E, Rocca R, Fein D, Naigles L. Caregiver linguistic alignment to autistic and typically developing children: A natural language processing approach illuminates the interactive components of language development. Cognition 2023; 236:105422. [PMID: 36871399 PMCID: PMC11223773 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105422] [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: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Language development is a highly interactive activity. However, most research on linguistic environment has focused on the quantity and complexity of linguistic input to children, with current models showing that complexity facilitates language in both typically developing (TD) and autistic children. AIMS After reviewing existing work on caregiver engagement of children's utterances, we aim to operationalize such engagement with automated measures of linguistic alignment, thereby providing scalable tools to assess caregivers' active reuse of their children's language. By assessing the presence of alignment, its sensitivity to the child's individual differences and how well it predicts language development beyond current models across the two groups, we showcase the usefulness of the approach and provide initial empirical foundations for further conceptual and empirical investigations. METHODS We measure lexical, syntactic and semantic types of caregiver alignment in a longitudinal corpus involving 32 adult-autistic child and 35 adult-TD child dyads, with children between 2 and 5 years of age. We assess the extent to which caregivers repeat their children's words, syntax, and semantics, and whether these repetitions predict language development beyond more standard predictors. RESULTS Caregivers tend to re-use their child's language in a way that is related to the child's individual, primarily linguistic, differences. Caregivers' alignment provides unique information improving our ability to predict future language development in both typical and autistic children. CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that language development also relies on interactive conversational processes, previously understudied. We share carefully detailed methods, and open-source scripts so as to systematically extend our approach to new contexts and languages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Fusaroli
- Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Interacting Minds Center, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 4, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Linguistic Data Consortium, University of Pennsylvania, 3600 Market St, Suite 810, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2653, USA.
| | - Ethan Weed
- Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Interacting Minds Center, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 4, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Roberta Rocca
- Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science and Semiotics, School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Interacting Minds Center, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Jens Chr Skous vej 4, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Deborah Fein
- Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 0629-1020, USA
| | - Letitia Naigles
- Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, Storrs, CT 0629-1020, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Montirosso R, Castagna A, Butti N, Innocenti MS, Roggman LA, Rosa E. A contribution to the Italian validation of the Parenting Interaction with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcome (PICCOLO). Front Psychol 2023; 14:1105218. [PMID: 37063559 PMCID: PMC10090383 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1105218] [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: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction PICCOLO (Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes) is an observational instrument designed to assess four domains of parenting interactions that promote early child development (Affection, Responsiveness, Encouragement, and Teaching). Although PICCOLO has been validated in the United States for children as young as 4 months of age, the current focus is on parents with children aged between 10 and 47 months. This study contributes to the validation of the Italian translation of the PICCOLO by testing its psychometric properties and examining whether factors such as the child's age and child's sex are related to the four domains of parenting interactions. Methods To these aims, 152 mothers of children aged 10-47 months from three Italian regions participated in the study. Results Results indicate that the PICCOLO Italian version has acceptable inter-rater agreement, split-half reliability, and stability over time. Furthermore, the Italian version confirmed the robustness of the factor structure proposed in the original version. While there were no significant differences by child gender on the domains of parenting interactions, the Affection scores decreased with age. Discussion Overall, these results demonstrate that the Italian version of the PICCOLO is a reliable measure of maternal interactions with children. The psychometric properties of the instrument make it appropriate for general research purposes and for assessment of parenting before and after support interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Montirosso
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, Lecco, Italy
| | - Annalisa Castagna
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, Lecco, Italy
| | - Niccolò Butti
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, Lecco, Italy
- Ph.D. Program in Neural and Cognitive Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mark S. Innocenti
- Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Lori A. Roggman
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Elisa Rosa
- 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”, Lecco, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Prime H, Andrews K, Markwell A, Gonzalez A, Janus M, Tricco AC, Bennett T, Atkinson L. Positive Parenting and Early Childhood Cognition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:362-400. [PMID: 36729307 PMCID: PMC10123053 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-022-00423-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This review examines the effectiveness of positive parenting interventions aimed at improving sensitivity, responsiveness, and/or non-harsh discipline on children's early cognitive skills, in four meta-analyses addressing general mental abilities, language, executive functioning, and pre-academics. The objectives are to assess the magnitude of intervention effectiveness and identify moderators of effectiveness. We include randomized controlled trials of interventions targeting positive parenting to improve cognition in children < 6 years. Studies that include children with neurodevelopmental and/or hearing disorders were excluded. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIC, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (October 2021) and citation chaining identified relevant records. Five reviewers completed screening/assessments, extraction, and risk of bias. Pooled analysis in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Version 3) used random effects modeling, with moderation via Q-statistics and meta-regression. Positive parenting interventions led to significant improvements in mental abilities (g = 0.46, N = 5746; k = 33) and language (g = 0.25, N = 6428; k = 30). Effect sizes were smaller and nonsignificant for executive functioning (g = 0.07, N = 3628; k = 14) and pre-academics (g = 0.16, N = 2365; k = 7). Robust moderators emerged for language and cognition. For cognition, studies with higher risk of bias scores yielded larger intervention effects. For language, studies with younger children had larger effect sizes. Studies mitigated selection and detection bias, though greater transparency of reporting is needed. Interventions that promote parental sensitivity, responsiveness, and non-harsh discipline improve early mental abilities and language. Studies examining executive functioning and pre-academics are needed to examine moderators of intervention effectiveness. Trial registration Systematic review PROSPERO registration. CRD42020222143.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Prime
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada. .,LaMarsh Centre for Child & Youth Research, York University, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Krysta Andrews
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Alexandra Markwell
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada.,LaMarsh Centre for Child & Youth Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Magdalena Janus
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Andrea C Tricco
- Knowledge Translation Program, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michaels Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Epidemiology Division and Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Queen's Collaboration for Health Care Quality Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Teresa Bennett
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fuentes MC, Garcia OF, Alcaide M, Garcia-Ros R, Garcia F. Analyzing when parental warmth but without parental strictness leads to more adolescent empathy and self-concept: Evidence from Spanish homes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1060821. [PMID: 36544447 PMCID: PMC9760939 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1060821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Classical research mainly conducted with European-American families has identified the combination of warmth and strictness (authoritative style) as the parenting always associated with the highest scores on developmental outcomes. Additionally, despite the benefits of empathy for prosocial behaviors and protection against antisocial behaviors, most research has considered the contribution of specific practices (e.g., reasoning or power assertion), but not so much the parenting styles. Similarly, family studies tend to study the relationship between parenting and global self-perceptions (self-esteem), but not so much those of each dimension (self-concept). Methods In the present study, 600 Spanish adolescents from 12 to 17 years old (M = 15.25, SD = 2.01) were classified within one of the four household typologies (i.e., authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian, or neglectful). Adolescent developmental outcomes were cognitive empathy (adopting perspectives and emotional understanding), emotional empathy (empathic stress and empathic happiness), and self-concept (academic, social, emotional, family and physical). Results The results showed that the indulgent parenting (warmth but not strictness) was related to equal or even better empathy and self-concept than the authoritative style (warmth and strictness), whereas non-warm parenting (authoritarian and neglectful) was consistently associated with poor results. Discussion Overall, the present findings seriously question that parental strictness combined with parental warmth (authoritative style) is always the parenting style related to the greatest outcomes. By contrast, it seems that reasoning, warmth and involvement, without strictness (indulgent parenting) help adolescents to achieve a good orientation toward others in terms of cognitive and affective empathy and a good self-evaluation in terms of self-concept.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria C. Fuentes
- Department of Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Oscar F. Garcia
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain,*Correspondence: Oscar F. Garcia,
| | - Marta Alcaide
- Department of Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rafael Garcia-Ros
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Garcia
- Department of Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Linking early maternal input during shared reading to later theory of mind through receptive language and executive function: A within- and between-family design. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 223:105469. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
7
|
Shai D, Laor Black A, Spencer R, Sleed M, Baradon T, Nolte T, Fonagy P. Trust me! Parental embodied mentalizing predicts infant cognitive and language development in longitudinal follow-up. Front Psychol 2022; 13:867134. [PMID: 35992465 PMCID: PMC9386006 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.867134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Children's cognitive and language development is a central aspect of human development and has wide and long-standing impact. The parent-infant relationship is the chief arena for the infant to learn about the world. Studies reveal associations between quality of parental care and children's cognitive and language development when the former is measured as maternal sensitivity. Nonetheless, the extent to which parental mentalizing - a parent's understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and attitudes of a child, and presumed to underlie sensitivity - contributes to children's cognitive development and functioning, has yet to be thoroughly investigated. According to the epistemic trust theory, high mentalizing parents often use ostensive cues, which signal to the infant that they are perceived and treated as unique subjective beings. By doing so, parents foster epistemic trust in their infants, allowing the infant to use the parents a reliable source of knowledge to learn from. Until recently, parental mentalizing has been limited to verbal approaches and measurement. This is a substantial limitation of the construct as we know that understanding of intentionality is both non-verbal and verbal. In this investigation we employed both verbal and non-verbal, body-based, approaches to parental mentalizing, to examine whether parental mentalizing in a clinical sample predicts children's cognitive and language development 12 months later. Findings from a longitudinal intervention study of 39 mothers and their infants revealed that parental embodied mentalizing in infancy significantly predicted language development 12 months later and marginally predicted child cognitive development. Importantly, PEM explained unique variance in the child's cognitive and linguistic capacities over and above maternal emotional availability, child interactive behavior, parental reflective functioning, depression, ethnicity, education, marital status, and number of other children. The theoretical, empirical, and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana Shai
- SEED Center, School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
| | - Adi Laor Black
- SEED Center, School of Behavioral Sciences, The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
| | - Rose Spencer
- CNWL NHS Perinatal Mental Health Services, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle Sleed
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tessa Baradon
- School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tobias Nolte
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Fonagy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Longobardi E, Spataro P, Calabrò M. Maternal mind-mindedness and communicative functions in free-play and mealtime contexts: Stability, continuity and relations with child language at 16 months. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2022; 49:635-660. [PMID: 35780673 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000920000835] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed at investigating the contextual stability, the contextual continuity and the concurrent associations between maternal measures (general language, communicative functions and mind-mindedness) and child measures (total number of word types and tokens) in two different contexts, free-play and mealtime. To this purpose, the interactions occurring between 25 mothers and their 16-month-old children in each context were video-recorded, transcribed and later coded for the selected measures. Significant contextual stability was observed in the mothers' production of general language measures (total number of utterances, total number of words and MLU), in the children's production of word types and tokens, and in some communicative functions (Tutorial, Control and Asynchronous). No contextual stability was found for the mothers' production of attuned mind-related comments. For continuity, both mothers and children produced more utterances and words in the free-play than in the mealtime context; the production of attuned mind-related comments and the use of the Control function were also more frequent in the free-play context. Lastly, the analysis of the concurrent correlations indicated that, especially in the mealtime context, the number of words produced by children was positively associated with the number of words produced by mothers and by their use of the Tutorial and Didactic functions, but negatively associated with their use of the Control function. The mothers' production of attuned mind-related comments bore no relation with children's expressive language. Similarities and differences with previous findings are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emiddia Longobardi
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Spataro
- Department of Economy, Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Calabrò
- Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wade M, Wright L, Finegold KE. The effects of early life adversity on children's mental health and cognitive functioning. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:244. [PMID: 35688817 PMCID: PMC9187770 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02001-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that partially distinct mechanisms may underlie the association between different dimensions of early life adversity (ELA) and psychopathology in children and adolescents. While there is minimal evidence that different types of ELA are associated with specific psychopathology outcomes, there are partially unique cognitive and socioemotional consequences of specific dimensions of ELA that increase transdiagnostic risk of mental health problems across the internalizing and externalizing spectra. The current review provides an overview of recent findings examining the cognitive (e.g., language, executive function), socioemotional (e.g., attention bias, emotion regulation), and mental health correlates of ELA along the dimensions of threat/harshness, deprivation, and unpredictability. We underscore similarities and differences in the mechanisms connecting different dimensions of ELA to particular mental health outcomes, and identify gaps and future directions that may help to clarify inconsistencies in the literature. This review focuses on childhood and adolescence, periods of exquisite neurobiological change and sensitivity to the environment. The utility of dimensional models of ELA in better understanding the mechanistic pathways towards the expression of psychopathology is discussed, with the review supporting the value of such models in better understanding the developmental sequelae associated with ELA. Integration of dimensional models of ELA with existing models focused on psychiatric classification and biobehavioral mechanisms may advance our understanding of the etiology, phenomenology, and treatment of mental health difficulties in children and youth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Liam Wright
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Katherine E. Finegold
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Farangi MR, Mehrpour S. Preschool Minority Children's Persian Vocabulary Development: A Language Sample Analysis. Front Psychol 2022; 13:761228. [PMID: 35369172 PMCID: PMC8969415 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.761228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This study linked background TV and socioeconomic status (SES) to minority children’s Persian vocabulary development. To this end, 80 Iranian preschool children (aged 5–6 years old) from two minority groups of Arabs and Turks were selected using stratified random sampling. They were simultaneous bilinguals, i.e., their mother tongue was either Arabic or Azari and their first language was Persian. Language sample analysis (LSA) was used to measure vocabulary development through a 15-min interview by language experts (PhD in applied linguistics). The LSA measures included total number of utterances (TNU), total number of words (TNW), total number of new words (NDW), and mean length of utterance (MLU). A series of independent-samples t test, paired-samples t test, and repeated measures MANOVA tests were ran to examine data. Results showed significant improvements in children’s vocabulary scores from pretest to posttest for all children. In addition, high-SES children scored higher on the vocabulary measures in pretest and posttest. Moreover, background TV was associated with higher means in the TNW and the NDW in groups. The researchers concluded that background TV may be related to higher vocabulary scores in low-SES families as it may compensate for some linguistics gaps in these families including lower amount of child-parent interaction, play, and parents’ level of literacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Saeed Mehrpour
- Department of Language and Linguistics, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Scheiber FA, Ryckman MK, Demir-Lira E. Maternal depressive symptoms and maternal child-directed speech: A systematic review. J Affect Disord 2022; 297:194-207. [PMID: 34656673 PMCID: PMC8827171 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to 1 in 5 children are exposed to maternal depressive symptoms. Children exposed to maternal depressive symptoms have poorer language skills than children not exposed to maternal depressive symptoms. Due to the crucial role of children's language skills in school readiness and academic achievement, it is imperative to understand the factors that underlie the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and children's language skills. Previous reviews have examined the mechanistic role of social-pragmatic features of mother-child interactions. However, the literature on the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and data-providing aspects of mother-child interactions, including child-directed speech, has yet to be consolidated. In this systematic review, we present maternal child-directed speech as a potential pathway through which maternal depressive symptoms influence children's language skills. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, three database searches produced 546 articles related to maternal depressive symptoms, child-directed speech, and children's language skills, ten of which examined the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and child-directed speech. RESULTS Findings revealed that increases in maternal depressive symptoms may be associated with decreases in amount of child-directed speech but not necessarily with decreases in the complexity of child-directed speech. LIMITATIONS The studies in this review varied in sample size, the inclusion of important sociodemographic factors, and the operationalization of depression and child-directed speech, thereby limiting conclusions, especially about whether maternal depressive symptoms are associated with the complexity of child-directed speech. CONCLUSIONS This review has implications for prevention and intervention efforts aimed at optimizing children's language skills; child-directed speech is modifiable, and mothers experiencing depressive symptoms may benefit from resources encouraging rich child-directed speech.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - M.A., Kelli Ryckman
- University of Iowa,,Department of Epidemiology,,Iowa Perinatal Health Research Collaborative
| | - Ece Demir-Lira
- University of Iowa,,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences,,DeLTA Center,,Iowa Neuroscience Institute
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lederer Y, Artzi H, Borodkin K. The effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction. Child Dev 2021; 93:556-570. [PMID: 34807453 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction. Thirty-three Israeli mothers and their 24- to 36-month-old toddlers (16 boys) from middle-high socioeconomic status participated in three within-subjects experimental conditions: maternal smartphone use, maternal magazine reading, and uninterrupted dyadic free-play. The mothers produced fewer utterances, provided fewer responses to child bids, missed child bids more often, and exchanged fewer conversational turns with their children when engaged with a smartphone or printed magazines compared to uninterrupted free-play. The quality of maternal responsiveness was also decreased. These findings suggest maternal smartphone use compromises mother-child interaction, which given smartphone ubiquity in daily life may have negative effects on child development in various domains, including language, cognition, and socioemotional regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yael Lederer
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hallel Artzi
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Katy Borodkin
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Alvarenga P, Kuchirko Y, Cerezo MÁ, de Mendonça Filho EJ, Bakeman R, Tamis-LeMonda CS. An intervention focused on maternal sensitivity enhanced mothers' verbal responsiveness to infants. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
14
|
Anderson NJ, Graham SA, Prime H, Jenkins JM, Madigan S. Linking Quality and Quantity of Parental Linguistic Input to Child Language Skills: A Meta-Analysis. Child Dev 2021; 92:484-501. [PMID: 33521953 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This meta-analysis examined associations between the quantity and quality of parental linguistic input and children's language. Pooled effect size for quality (i.e., vocabulary diversity and syntactic complexity; k = 35; N = 1,958; r = .33) was more robust than for quantity (i.e., number of words/tokens/utterances; k = 33; N = 1,411; r = .20) of linguistic input. For quality and quantity of parental linguistic input, effect sizes were stronger when input was observed in naturalistic contexts compared to free play tasks. For quality of parental linguistic input, effect sizes also increased as child age and observation length increased. Effect sizes were not moderated by socioeconomic status or child gender. Findings highlight parental linguistic input as a key environmental factor in children's language skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan A Graham
- University of Calgary.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute
| | | | | | - Sheri Madigan
- University of Calgary.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
The Impact of Contextual, Maternal and Prenatal Factors on Receptive Language in a Chilean Longitudinal Birth Cohort. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:1106-1117. [PMID: 33130923 PMCID: PMC8528774 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A secondary analysis was conducted on longitudinal data collected from ELPI, a representative Chilean survey to model Chilean infant's receptive language using contextual, maternal and prenatal factors. The sample for the current study comprised children aged between 36 and 48 months (n = 3921). The sample was re-assessed when children were aged 60-72 months (n = 3100). Linear regression analyses were conducted. At the first time point, all the predictors included were significant (living area, health system provision, maternal intelligence and education, adolescent pregnancy, maternal medical appointments during pregnancy, and presence of a significant other at childbirth), except for smoking during pregnancy. The model explained 13% of the variance. However, when timepoint one receptive language scores were included in the analyses for when children were aged 60-72 months, only two variables remained as significant predictors: previous receptive language scores and maternal education, explaining 21% of the variance. Findings and implications are discussed.
Collapse
|
16
|
Madigan S, McArthur BA, Anhorn C, Eirich R, Christakis DA. Associations Between Screen Use and Child Language Skills: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr 2020; 174:665-675. [PMID: 32202633 PMCID: PMC7091394 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Importance There is considerable public and scientific debate as to whether screen use helps or hinders early child development, particularly the development of language skills. Objective To examine via meta-analyses the associations between quantity (duration of screen time and background television), quality (educational programming and co-viewing), and onset of screen use and children's language skills. Data Sources Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO in March 2019. The search strategy included a publication date limit from 1960 through March 2019. Study Selection Inclusion criteria were a measure of screen use; a measure of language skills; and statistical data that could be transformed into an effect size. Exclusion criteria were qualitative studies; child age older than 12 years; and language assessment preverbal. Data Extraction and Synthesis The following variables were extracted: effect size, child age and sex, screen measure type, study publication year, and study design. All studies were independently coded by 2 coders and conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Main Outcomes and Measures Based on a priori study criteria, quantity of screen use included duration of screen time and background television, quality of screen use included co-viewing and exposure to educational programs, and onset of screen use was defined as the age children first began viewing screens. The child language outcome included assessments of receptive and/or expressive language. Results Participants totaled 18 905 from 42 studies included. Effect sizes were measured as correlations (r). Greater quantity of screen use (hours per use) was associated with lower language skills (screen time [n = 38; r = -0.14; 95% CI, -0.18 to -0.10]; background television [n = 5; r = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.33 to -0.05]), while better-quality screen use (educational programs [n = 13; r = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.24]; co-viewing [n = 12; r = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-.24]) were associated with stronger child language skills. Later age at screen use onset was also associated with stronger child language skills [n = 4; r = 0.17; 95% CI, 0.07-0.27]. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this meta-analysis support pediatric recommendations to limit children's duration of screen exposure, to select high-quality programming, and to co-view when possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheri Madigan
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Brae Anne McArthur
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ciana Anhorn
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rachel Eirich
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dimitri A. Christakis
- Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Washington, Seattle
- Editor, JAMA Pediatrics
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Linberg A, Lehrl S, Weinert S. The Early Years Home Learning Environment - Associations With Parent-Child-Course Attendance and Children's Vocabulary at Age 3. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1425. [PMID: 32695051 PMCID: PMC7339980 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although many studies investigated the effects of the home learning environment (HLE) in the preschool years, the constructs that underlie the HLE in the years before the age of three and its effects on language development are still poorly understood. This study therefore investigated the dimensionality of the HLE at age two, its relation to the attendance of low threshold parent-child-courses, and its importance for children's vocabulary development between age 2 and 3 years against the background of differing family background characteristics. Using data from 1,013 children and their families of the Newborn Cohort of the German National Educational Panel Study, structural equation modeling analyses showed that (1) quantitative and qualitative aspects of the early HLE, i.e., the frequency of stimulating activities, and the quality of parent-child-interactions should be differentiated; (2) that family background variables are differentially associated with the HLE dimensions and (3) that attendance at parent-child courses enriches both aspects of the HLE which in turn (4) are related to the children's vocabulary development. Our results highlight the need to differentiate aspects of the early HLE to disentangle which children are at risk in terms of which stimulation at home and the possibility to enrich the HLE through low threshold parent-child courses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anja Linberg
- Department of Social Monitoring and Methodology, Deutsches Jugendinstitut, Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Lehrl
- Psychology I - Developmental Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Weinert
- Psychology I - Developmental Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Choi B, Nelson CA, Rowe ML, Tager-Flusberg H. Reciprocal Influences Between Parent Input and Child Language Skills in Dyads Involving High- and Low-Risk Infants for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2020; 13:1168-1183. [PMID: 32003131 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We examined the language input of parents of infants at high and low familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and investigated reciprocal associations between parent input and child language skills in the first 2 years of life. Parent-infant dyads (high-risk: n = 53; low-risk: n = 33), 19 of whom included an infant later diagnosed with ASD, were videotaped during free play interactions at 12, 18, and 24 months. Measures of parent input were derived from parent-child interactions. Children's language skills were assessed using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning at 12, 18, and 24 months. Results suggested that (a) parents of high- and low-risk infants produced similar word tokens, word types, and proportions of contingent verbal responses, but parents of high-risk infants used shorter mean length of utterances (MLU) than parents of low-risk infants at 18 and 24 months; (b) parents' MLU at 18 months was positively associated with their infants' language at the subsequent visit after 6 months, regardless of group; and (c) infants' language at 18 months was positively associated with parents' MLU at the subsequent visit after 6 months in the high-risk group only. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying early language learning of high-risk infants who have an increased risk for language delays and deficits. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1168-1183. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Parents provide an important source of language input to their children. In this study, we looked at parent input to infants at high- and low-risk for autism spectrum disorder and relations between parent input and child language in the first 2 years of life. We found that parents of high- and low-risk infants provided similar quantity and quality of input, except shorter average length of utterances at 18 and 24 months in the high-risk group. Also, there were bidirectional relations between parent input and child language at 18 and 24 months in high-risk pairs, suggesting that parents and children collectively shape the early language environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boin Choi
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Meredith L Rowe
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Prime H, Wade M, Gonzalez A. The link between maternal and child verbal abilities: An indirect effect through maternal responsiveness. Dev Sci 2019; 23:e12907. [PMID: 31571333 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Language abilities in early childhood show stability over time and play an important role in the development of other cognitive processes. Identifying modifiable environmental risk factors is important to informing prevention and early intervention efforts. Maternal verbal ability has been previously linked to child verbal ability. The current study examined whether maternal and child verbal abilities were linked indirectly through early childhood maternal responsiveness. Data come from a longitudinal birth cohort study. Participants included 133 mothers and their children recruited from maternity wards shortly after birth. Maternal verbal ability was measured using the Vocabulary subtest from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (child age 8 months). Child verbal ability was assessed using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (36 months). A latent maternal responsiveness variable was estimated using three developmentally sensitive indicators; one during infancy (child age 8 months) and two when children were 36 months. Results of a structural equation model indicated a significant indirect effect from maternal verbal abilities to child verbal abilities through maternal responsiveness. This indirect path was significant even after inclusion of another indirect path from maternal executive functioning to child verbal ability through maternal responsiveness (which was not significant). Future studies will benefit from experimental, genetically sensitive and/or cross-lagged designs to allow for conclusions related to directionality and causality. This body of research has implications for the study of the intergenerational transmission of verbal abilities and associated skills, behaviours and adaptive outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Prime
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Mark Wade
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.,Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Madigan S, Prime H, Graham SA, Rodrigues M, Anderson N, Khoury J, Jenkins JM. Parenting Behavior and Child Language: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics 2019; 144:peds.2018-3556. [PMID: 31551396 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-3556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Early language development supports cognitive, academic, and behavioral success. Identifying modifiable predictors of child language may inform policies and practices aiming to promote language development. OBJECTIVE To synthesize results of observational studies examining parenting behavior and early childhood language in typically developing samples. DATA SOURCES Searches were conducted in Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Dissertation Abstracts (1967 to 2017). STUDY SELECTION Studies had 1 of 2 observational measures of parenting behavior (i.e., sensitive responsiveness or warmth) and a measure of child language. DATA EXTRACTION Data from 37 studies were extracted by independent coders. Estimates were examined by using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS Two meta-analyses were conducted, which examined (1) the association between sensitive-responsive parenting and child language (k = 36; r = 0.27; 95% confidence interval: 0.21 to 0.33); and (2) the association between parental warmth and child language (k = 13; r = 0.16; 95% confidence interval: 0.09 to 21). The pooled effect size for the association between sensitive responsiveness and child language was statistically higher than that of warmth and child language. The association between sensitive responsiveness and child language was moderated by family socioeconomic status (SES): effect sizes were stronger in low and diverse SES groups compared with middle to upper SES groups. Effect sizes were also stronger in longitudinal versus cross-sectional studies. LIMITATIONS Results are limited to typically developing samples and mother-child dyads. Findings cannot speak to causal processes. CONCLUSIONS Findings support theories describing how sensitive parenting may facilitate language and learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheri Madigan
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Canada
| | - Heather Prime
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Susan A Graham
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Canada
| | - Michelle Rodrigues
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; and
| | - Nina Anderson
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jennifer Khoury
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer M Jenkins
- Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; and
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ece Demir-Lira Ö, Applebaum LR, Goldin-Meadow S, Levine SC. Parents' early book reading to children: Relation to children's later language and literacy outcomes controlling for other parent language input. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12764. [PMID: 30325107 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It is widely believed that reading to preschool children promotes their language and literacy skills. Yet, whether early parent-child book reading is an index of generally rich linguistic input or a unique predictor of later outcomes remains unclear. To address this question, we asked whether naturally occurring parent-child book reading interactions between 1 and 2.5 years-of-age predict elementary school language and literacy outcomes, controlling for the quantity of other talk parents provide their children, family socioeconomic status, and children's own early language skill. We find that the quantity of parent-child book reading interactions predicts children's later receptive vocabulary, reading comprehension, and internal motivation to read (but not decoding, external motivation to read, or math skill), controlling for these other factors. Importantly, we also find that parent language that occurs during book reading interactions is more sophisticated than parent language outside book reading interactions in terms of vocabulary diversity and syntactic complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ö Ece Demir-Lira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, DeLTA Center, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | | | | | - Susan C Levine
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Frick MA, Forslund T, Brocki KC. Does child verbal ability mediate the relationship between maternal sensitivity and later self-regulation? A longitudinal study from infancy to 4 years. Scand J Psychol 2019; 60:97-105. [PMID: 30625240 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is a need to further examine the mechanisms by which maternal sensitivity influences the development of child self-regulation. This study investigated the role of maternal sensitivity when infants were 10 months old and child verbal ability at 18 months, in relation to various aspects of self-regulation at 48 months, in a sample of 95 typically developing children (46.3% girls). In particular, the study examined, from a Vygotskian perspective, whether child verbal ability, as measured by receptive and expressive language, mediated the relationship between maternal sensitivity and hot and cool aspects of self-regulation in the child. As hypothesized, maternal sensitivity predicted child verbal ability, as well as working memory, set shifting, and delay of gratification. Child receptive language predicted set shifting, inhibition, and delay of gratification. In addition, receptive language mediated the relationship between maternal sensitivity and inhibition only. Additive effects of maternal sensitivity and child receptive language in relation to set shifting were found, and a main effect of maternal sensitivity on child delay of gratification. The results add to the body of research suggesting that responsive parenting and child verbal ability are important for the development of self-regulation, and suggest that different mechanisms may be at work for different aspects of self-regulation.
Collapse
|