Parents' early book reading to children: Relation to children's later language and literacy outcomes controlling for other parent language input

Causal effect of parental reading on later development of children: Demonstrating a Bayesian approach

This study examined the relationship between early parental treatment, specifically reading to young children and later cognitive development with a Bayesian perspective. Previous research established a positive link between parental reading to infants and their cognitive development, such as receptive vocabulary, reading comprehension and motivation to read. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study analysed individuals aged 9 months to 14 years to investigate the effects of early reading to young children on nine cognitive variables. Bayesian statistical analysis controlled for pre-existing differences and covariates to establish a causal association between reading and cognitive development. The results indicated that reading to infants and toddlers positively impacted their cognitive development beyond reading skills. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of the Bayesian approach in determining scientific significance and underscore the importance of early literacy interventions in promoting cognitive development.

Parental linguistic support in a home environment is associated with language development of preschool-aged children

AIM

In today's increasingly digitalised society, there is a growing need for information on how parents can support their children's language development at home. We investigated the associations between three types of parental linguistic support and children's language skills in different domains.

METHODS

Between April 2019 and March 2020, 164 children aged between 2.5 and 4.1 years and their parents were recruited via daycare centres in Helsinki. Information on how frequently parents read, told free stories and sang to their children was collected. The children's lexical and grammatical skills and general language ability were assessed using validated instruments.

RESULTS

More frequent reading, storytelling and singing were all separately associated with higher-level expressive lexical and general expressive language ability. More frequent reading and storytelling were also associated with higher-level phonological skills. Only reading was associated with receptive skills. The regression analyses revealed that reading had the highest explanatory value for lexical and general language ability after controlling for the effect of background factors. Furthermore, storytelling had the highest explanatory value for grammatical skills.

CONCLUSION

The results highlight the benefits of parental reading. However, broad use of all parental linguistic activities is recommended to support the development of children's different language domains.

Exploring the impact of a co-designed shared book reading environment for families in a community hub

BACKGROUND

Evidence supports the effectiveness of shared book reading for promoting language and literacy development, but it is known that families experiencing vulnerability may have reduced access to books and are less likely to share books regularly at home. Community hubs often provide support to families experiencing vulnerability and may provide an opportunity to create environments that support families to engage in shared book reading, especially if families are invited into the creation of these environments through co-design. However, there is currently little evidence regarding the impact of co-designing shared book reading environments with families in community settings.

AIMS

The current study is part of a broader project which used co-design to develop a shared book reading environment in collaboration with stakeholders in a community hub. This small-scale study aimed to provide a preliminary evaluation of the impact of this co-designed shared book reading environment at the community hub on (1) the frequency of shared book reading at the hub; (2) participants' confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub; and (3) participants' experiences of shared book reading at the hub.

METHOD & PROCEDURES

The co-design project was carried out in four phases with families, staff and community partners at the community hub. A convergent mixed-methods approach was used to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data in the first and last phase of the project to evaluate project outcomes. Quantitative data (environmental observations of reading at the hub and participant ratings of confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub) were analysed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistical tests. Qualitative data (participants' responses regarding their experiences of changes implemented in the community hub) were analysed using inductive content analysis.

OUTCOME & RESULTS

An increased frequency of shared book reading was observed within the community hub after changes were implemented, and positive changes in enjoyment of book reading were recorded. Qualitative responses from participants following conclusion of the project were organised into three main categories, which showed that (1) children and families were reading more and enjoying reading activities that were happening; (2) children and families were borrowing more books; and (3) families had changed the way they were reading at home with their children.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS

A co-designed shared book reading environment within a community hub had a positive impact on shared book reading experiences for families in areas with high levels of vulnerability.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject Community hubs provide a unique opportunity to support early language and literacy development in partnership with families in areas of vulnerability; however, there is limited literature investigating the impacts of these supports. A previous study utilised co-design to develop a shared book reading environment with stakeholders at a community hub in an area where a high proportion of children are considered to be 'vulnerable' in terms of language and literacy development. It was found that co-design enabled the development of collaborative changes to support shared book reading that were valued and owned by families, staff and community partners at the community hub. What this study adds The current study focused on evaluating the impact of a co-design project on the frequency of shared book reading at the hub and participants' experiences, confidence and enjoyment of reading with children at the hub. Analysis of pre- and post-data provide preliminary evidence that a co-designed shared book reading environment in a community hub can have a positive impact on increasing families' awareness and engagement with book borrowing, engagement in shared book reading activities in the community and at home, and participants' confidence and enjoyment of reading with children. What are the clinical implications of this work? Speech pathologists have an important role to play in prevention and promotion. This study has shown that collaboration with families experiencing vulnerability can support the implementation of strategies to promote shared reading in a community hub and demonstrate increased quality and frequency of shared book reading. The utilisation of a community hub also highlights the opportunities for the speech pathology profession to deliver community-based promotion and prevention initiatives as a strategy to address equitable language outcomes.

Longitudinal trajectories of brain development from infancy to school age and their relationship to literacy development

Reading is one of the most complex skills that we utilize daily, and it involves the early development and interaction of various lower-level subskills, including phonological processing and oral language. These subskills recruit brain structures, which begin to develop long before the skill manifests and exhibit rapid development during infancy. However, how longitudinal trajectories of early brain development in these structures supports long-term acquisition of literacy subskills and subsequent reading is unclear. Children underwent structural and diffusion MRI scanning at multiple timepoints between infancy and second grade and were tested for literacy subskills in preschool and decoding and word reading in early elementary school. We developed and implemented a reproducible pipeline to generate longitudinal trajectories of early brain development to examine associations between these trajectories and literacy (sub)skills. Furthermore, we examined whether familial risk of reading difficulty and a child's home literacy environment, two common literacy-related covariates, influenced those trajectories. Results showed that individual differences in curve features (e.g., intercepts and slopes) for longitudinal trajectories of volumetric, surface-based, and white matter organization measures in left-hemispheric reading-related regions and tracts were linked directly to phonological processing and indirectly to second-grade decoding and word reading skills via phonological processing. Altogether, these findings suggest that the brain bases of phonological processing, previously identified as the strongest behavioral predictor of reading and decoding skills, may already begin to develop early in infancy but undergo further refinement between birth and preschool. The present study underscores the importance of considering academic skill acquisition from the very beginning of life.

Early parent-child intervention with Dialogic Book-Sharing: effects on child communicative and socio-emotional development and on parenting. Study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial in Italy

BACKGROUND

Research in the neurosciences has highlighted the importance of intersubjective relationships in promoting neuromental development of the child. Children's learning in early childhood occurs mainly in a dyadic context of an interaction with their parents: from this perspective, good dialogic parent-child communication is required to be promoted also through good educational practices. Dialogic Book-Sharing (DBS), a dialogic form of parent-child communication through the use of wordless picture books, provides a privileged 'intersubjective' space and is highly effective in promoting communication, language, attention, behavioural development and the parent-child relationship. DBS programme, successfully previously trialled in South Africa and the UK, will be applied for the first time in Italy for research purposes in Italian health, educational and maternal-child centres.

METHODS

A multicentre randomised controlled trial is being conducted to evaluate DBS parenting intervention for children aged between 14 and 20 months. Parent-child dyads are randomly allocated to a book-sharing intervention group or to a wait-list control group. In the intervention, parents are trained in supportive book-sharing with their children by local staff of the centres. DBS intervention is carried out in small groups over a period of 4 weeks. Data are collected at baseline, post-intervention and at 6 months post-intervention with a questionnaire and video recording of parent-child interaction.

DISCUSSION

DBS programme in early childhood could enhance the educational resources offered by Italian health, educational and maternal-child centres, in support of child's development and parenting. DBS represents a strategic opportunity for bringing about positive effects, also in terms of prevention of socio-emotional and cognitive difficulties. As such it represents a promising response to the new social, health and educational needs of the post-COVID-19 pandemic era caused by the social isolation measures. Furthermore, the application of the DBS methodology is a way to promote the use of books, and thereby counteract the excessive use of technological devices already present in early childhood.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered on the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number database, registration number ISRCTN11755019 Registered on 2 November 2023. This is version 1 of the protocol for the trial.

Book-Sharing for Toddlers with Clefts (BOOST): Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a remote intervention to promote language development in children with cleft palate

BACKGROUND

Children with cleft palate, with or without cleft lip (CP±L), exhibit language delays on average compared to children without clefts. Interventions to address these disparities are scarce. In this multi-center study, Book Sharing for Toddlers with Clefts (BOOST), we will test a remote, parent-focused intervention to promote language development in children with CP±L.

OBJECTIVES

The study will test two primary hypotheses. First, toddlers randomized to BOOST will exhibit better language outcomes than children receiving standard-of-care (SOC). Second, we hypothesize that the BOOST program's effect on language outcomes is mediated by the frequency and quality of parent-child reading interactions.

METHODS

The study is a randomized-controlled trial comparing the BOOST group to a SOC comparison group. We will enroll N = 320 English and/or Spanish-speaking children ages 24-32 months with isolated CP±L (n = 160 per group). Both groups will receive children's books, and parents will record and upload videos of themselves reading the books with their children using a smartphone app developed for the study. Parents will also complete surveys asking whether they read to their children on five randomly selected days each week. In addition, the BOOST group will participate in 3 remote dialogic book-sharing intervention sessions via Zoom. We will code book-sharing videos to assess parents' target skill usage and children's expressive language. End-of-study assessments will include measures of child language outcomes (e.g., clinician-administered measures, parent reports, and naturalistic child language samples).

RESULTS

Enrollment began in April 2024 and will continue through approximately April 2028.

CONCLUSION

The BOOST study will address a critical gap in the literature on interventions to improve language in children with CP±L. The results will inform the care for toddlers with oral clefts and have potential applications for other populations.

Development and evaluation of a family-child reading picture book on reducing autism spectrum disorder caregivers' psychological stress: a mixed method study

Introduction

The rapid increasing prevalence of ASD has become a significant global health issue. Caregivers of children with ASD are experiencing higher level of psychological stress and mental disorders. However, interventions to improve the psychological health of caregivers of children with ASD have largely been neglected.

Methods

Based on the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model, we initially did in-depth interviews with 8 caregivers, and conducted field observation in two rehabilitation centers to analyze the daily lives, the empowered components, the emotional moments of the children with autism and their caregivers. Then we designed the outline of the picture book, and developed it by a multi-disciplinary team by 4 rounds. After that, this picture book was sent out to 54 caregivers of children with ASD for family-child reading in one month. A quantitative questionnaire was administered before and after their reading to evaluate the efficacy of reducing their stress and affiliate stigma, and improving self-efficacy, resilience, empowerment capacity; and exit interviews were conducted after their initial reading to assess the acceptability, content appropriateness, perceived benefits and generalizability of this picture book. Quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and paired t-tests using IBM SPSS 26.0. Qualitative data were analyzed using template analysis.

Results

In total, 54 caregivers read the picture book with their child, with the total of 149 (an average of 2.76 per family) times reading in one month. Among them, 39 caregivers returned the following-up questionnaires. Although most of the outcome measures did not showed significant changes except the stress level decreased statistically significant (13.38 ± 3.864 to 11.79 ± 3.238, P=0.001), caregivers reported that the picture book echoed their daily lives and gave them a sense of warmth, inspiration, and hope, as well as some insight on family relationships and attitudes towards the disorder. They also expressed a willingness to disseminate the book to other families with children suffering ASD and the public.

Conclusion

This specially designed picture book has been proven to be an acceptable, content-appropriate, and effective family-centered psychological intervention, which could be easily scaled up.

Books before birth: a qualitative multiple case study of mothers reading to babies in utero

BACKGROUND

This study is informed by research connecting parent-child book reading and attachment and by the concept of maternal-foetal attachment.

AIM

To explore experiences of pregnant mothers who read picture books marketed to be read while their babies are in utero.

STUDY DESIGN

This study utilised a qualitative, multiple case study design involving 10 pregnant women from the Midwestern region of the United States. Participants read picture books marketed to be read by expectant families and participated in an interview focused on their experiences and reflections, and completed a follow-up survey 24-27 months later.

RESULTS

Themes identified included (1) Learning and Love; (2) Seeing the Baby as a Person; (3) Natural or Weird?; (4) Fathers' Involvement; (5) Slowing Down: Focusing on Now and Envisioning the Future; and (6) Who is this for?

DISCUSSION

Findings suggest providing books to expectant families may be a promising practice and should be further researched.

Associations between urbanization and the home language environment: Evidence from a LENA study in rural and peri-urban China

In low- and middle-income countries, urbanization has spurred the expansion of peri-urban communities, or urban communities of formerly rural residents with low socioeconomic status. The growth of these communities offers researchers an opportunity to measure the associations between the level of urbanization and the home language environment (HLE) among otherwise similar populations. Data were collected in 2019 using Language Environment Analysis observational assessment technology from 158 peri-urban and rural households with Han Chinese children (92 males, 66 females) aged 18-24 months in China. Peri-urban children scored lower than rural children in measures of the HLE and language development. In both samples, child age, gender, maternal employment, and sibling number were positively correlated with the HLE, which was in turn correlated with language development.

Eliminating bias: enhancing children's book recommendation using a hybrid model of graph convolutional networks and neural matrix factorization

Managing user bias in large-scale user review data is a significant challenge in optimizing children's book recommendation systems. To tackle this issue, this study introduces a novel hybrid model that combines graph convolutional networks (GCN) based on bipartite graphs and neural matrix factorization (NMF). This model aims to enhance the precision and efficiency of children's book recommendations by accurately capturing user biases. In this model, the complex interactions between users and books are modeled as a bipartite graph, with the users' book ratings serving as the weights of the edges. Through GCN and NMF, we can delve into the structure of the graph and the behavioral patterns of users, more accurately identify and address user biases, and predict their future behaviors. Compared to traditional recommendation systems, our hybrid model excels in handling large-scale user review data. Experimental results confirm that our model has significantly improved in terms of recommendation accuracy and scalability, positively contributing to the advancement of children's book recommendation systems.

Spillover effects of gestational age on sibling's literacy

Adverse health events within families can harm children's development, including their early literacy. Using data from a longitudinal Wisconsin birth cohort, we estimated the spillover effect of younger siblings' gestational ages on older siblings' kindergarten-level literacy. We sampled 20,014 sibling pairs born during 2007-2010 who took Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening-Kindergarten tests during 2012-2016. Exposures were gestational age (completed weeks), preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks), and very preterm birth (gestational age <32 weeks). We used gain-score regression-a fixed effects strategy-to estimate spillover effect. A one-week increase in younger siblings' gestational age improved the older siblings' test score by 0.011 SD (95% confidence interval: 0.001, 0.021 SD). The estimated spillover effect was larger among siblings whose mothers reported having a high school diploma/equivalent only (0.024 SD; 95% CI: 0.004, 0.044 SD). The finding underscores the networked effects of one individual's early-life health shocks on their family members.

Genetic Modifications of Developmental Dyslexia and Its Representation Using In Vivo, In Vitro Model

Dyslexia is a genetic and heritable disorder that has yet to discover the treatment of it, especially at the molecular and drug intervention levels. This review provides an overview of the current findings on the environmental and genetic factors involved in developmental dyslexia. The latest techniques used in diagnosing the disease and macromolecular factors findings may contribute to a higher degree of development in detangling the proper management and treatment for dyslexic individuals. Furthermore, this review tried to put together all the models used in the current dyslexia research for references in future studies that include animal models as well as in vitro models and how the previous research has provided consistent data across many years and regions. Thus, we suggest furthering the studies using an organoid model based on the existing gene polymorphism, pathways, and neuronal function input.

Mothers used wider vocabulary and talked to their six-month-old infants more during shared book reading than when they played with toys

AIM

We compared mothers reading books to six-month-old infants or playing with toys and measured whether the maternal language input influenced the children's spoken vocabulary at 18 months of age.

METHOD

This Taiwanese study recruited 46 dyads and video recorded them while the mothers read books to their infants and played with them with toys at 6 months of age. The mothers' lexical diversity, which is the ratio of different unique words to the total number of words, was measured. We then assessed the children's spoken vocabulary at 18 months.

RESULTS

The mother used more diverse vocabulary and a higher number of words when they were reading books than playing with toys with their children (p = 0.001). Maternal lexical diversity at 6 months of age accounted for 14.4% of the unique variance in the number of different words used by the child at 18 months. We believe that this is a novel finding.

CONCLUSION

Mothers used wider vocabulary and talked to their infants more during book reading than when they played with toys. Diverse maternal vocabulary at 6 months of age positively influenced the number of different words their children used at 18 months of age.

Parental cognitive stimulation in preterm-born children's neurocognitive functioning during the preschool years: a systematic review

In the United States, survival rates for preterm neonates (<37 weeks of gestation) have tripled in recent years. In parallel, preterm-born children show poorer performance in neurocognitive functioning compared to their full-term peers (≥39 weeks of gestation), and biological models predicting preterm-born children's neurocognitive performance have been met with limited success, highlighting a need to focus on environmental factors. Thus, this systematic review examines the literature on parental cognitive stimulation in relation to preterm-born children's neurocognitive outcomes. Studies were considered for inclusion if they included a sample of preterm-born children, included a measure of parental cognitive stimulation, and included a measure of child neurocognitive performance. The databases searched were PubMed, PsychINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Scopus. Eight studies were included (44 unique associations). Findings suggest that preterm-born children's language skills might be open to a wide range of qualitative and quantitative features of parental cognitive stimulation. Our findings suggest that parental cognitive stimulation matters for preterm-born children's neurocognitive performance. Future experiential models should examine the mechanistic roles of cognitive stimulation in relation to narrowed neurocognitive outcomes to better inform possible prevention and intervention efforts. IMPACT: This systematic review examines the literature on parental cognitive stimulation in relation to preterm-born children's neurocognitive outcomes. Our review demonstrates that preterm-born children's language skills might be open to a wide range of qualitative and quantitative features of parental cognitive stimulation. The emphasis on environmental factors might ultimately better inform possible prevention and intervention efforts for children at risk as they transition to formal schooling.

The linguistic complexity of adult and child contextualized and decontextualized talk

The association between decontextualized talk (DT; i.e., talk extending beyond immediate context) and child language outcomes is well-attested but not well-understood. This study tested the hypothesis that DT is more linguistically complex than contextualized talk (CT). Thirty-eight Norwegian children (Mage  = 5.5 years; 25 girls; 30 Norwegian-speaking monolinguals and eight multilinguals) and their teachers were videotaped during picture book reading, story card conversations and toy play (collected 2010-2011 and 2017). Results show that DT was more complex than CT among children and teachers. Both types of talk were more complex during book reading and story conversations than during play. The conversational context should be accounted for when theorizing about the role of DT in language development.

Home Literacy Experiences and Shared Reading Practices: Preschoolers With Hearing Loss

Home literacy experiences and observed parent and child behaviors during shared book reading were investigated in preschool-age children with hearing loss and with typical hearing to examine the relationships between those factors and children's language skills. The methods involved parent-reported home literacy experiences and videotaped parent-child dyads during shared book reading. Children's language skills were tested using the Preschool Language Scale-4. The results indicated significant differences between groups for home literacy experiences and observed parent and child behaviors. Parents of children with hearing loss were found to read more frequently to their children than parents of children with typical hearing, yet scored lower for literacy strategies and teaching techniques compared to parents of children with typical hearing. Children with hearing loss scored lower in interactive reading behaviors compared to children with typical hearing. For children with hearing loss, frequency of book reading and child interactive reading behaviors were strong predictive factors for children's language skills. These results suggest that families of children with hearing loss would benefit from professional support as they read storybooks to their children. Similarly, children with hearing loss should be encouraged to be more interactive during shared book reading.

Shared reading with infants: SharePR a novel measure of shared reading quality

BACKGROUND

The AAP recommends "shared" reading from early infancy for healthy development. However, many families are uncertain how to read most enjoyably and effectively with infants, especially from underserved backgrounds. Shared reading quality (interactivity) moderates benefits yet is challenging to measure. SHARE/STEP is a new model of shared reading quality at this age incorporating evidence-based behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

To test the SharePR parent-report measure of caregiver-infant reading quality.

METHODS

This study involved mother-infant dyads in two unrelated trials in an obstetric (0-2 months old) and pediatric (6-9 months old) clinic. SharePR is a 10-item measure based on the SHARE/STEP model. Analyses involved descriptive statistics, measures of psychometric integrity, and correlations with home literacy environment (HLE).

RESULTS

There were 99 dyads in the younger (1.2 + 0.5 months) and 108 dyads in the older groups (6.6 + 1.1 months). A majority were of non-white race (73%, 96%) and low-socioeconomic status (56%, 44% in-poverty). SharePR administration time was under 2 min and scores were normally distributed at each age. Psychometric properties were strong in terms of internal consistency and reliability. Scores were positively correlated with HLE for the older group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

SharePR may be an efficient tool to quantify shared reading quality with infants, warranting further investigation.

CLINICAL TRIALS

Data for these analyses were collected via two unrelated trials led by the lead author (J.S.H.). For the younger cohort, this is registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov website, ID# NCT04031235. For the older cohort, this is registered on the ClinicalTrials.gov website, ID# 2017-6856.

IMPACT

The AAP recommends caregiver-child ("shared") reading beginning in infancy, yet many families are uncertain how to do so. Verbal and social-emotional interactivity during shared reading ("quality") moderates benefits and is often low in families from disadvantaged backgrounds, yet is challenging to measure. SharePR is a 10-item parent-report measure of shared reading quality based on a novel conceptual model incorporating evidence-based behaviors (SHARE/STEP). SharePR exhibited promising psychometric properties in two separate samples of mothers of younger and older infants. SharePR is a potentially useful measure of shared reading quality at this formative age, for research and to frame early reading guidance.

Parental absence, early reading, and human capital formation for rural children in China

In this study, we adopt the human capital formation framework to understand the association of the various risk and protective factors in the family settings of rural children with their cognitive performance as measured by vocabulary and math test scores. We examine the role of caregiver reading or storytelling to children at younger age and the deprivation of parental care due to labor migration at different stages of childhood on child performance in vocabulary and math tests when they are over 10 years old. Our findings confirm the crucial role of parental presence in child's cognitive development both during early childhood and later ages. Extended periods of parental absence during early and later years of childhood are most pernicious for child cognitive performance. Our analysis also reveals significantly positive effect of caregiver reading and storytelling on children's vocabulary test performance. This study provides strong evidence for the benefits of programs that promote good parenting practice and caregiver involvement in child cognitive development.

Infant locomotion shapes proximity to adults during everyday play in the U.S

Learning to walk expands infants' access to the physical environment and prompts changes in their communicative behaviors. However, little is known about whether walking also shapes infants' proximity to their adult social partners during everyday activities at home. Here we followed 89 infants (42 boys, 47 girls; 92% White, not Hispanic or Latino) longitudinally and documented connections between infant locomotion and infant-adult proximity on two timescales: (1) across developmental time, by comparing data from a session when infants could only crawl to a later session when they could walk (M walk onset = 12.15 months, range = 8-15); and (2) in real time, by testing whether the amount of time that infants spent in motion (regardless of their locomotor status) related to their interpersonal distance to adults. The developmental transition to walking corresponded to a significant, but modest, decrease in infant-adult proximity. Infants' moment-to-moment locomotion, however, was strongly related to patterns of interpersonal distance: infants who spent more time in motion spent less time near adults and instigated more proximity transitions, resulting in shorter and more dispersed bouts of proximity throughout sessions. Findings shed new light on how infants' motor achievements can reverberate across other domains of development, and how changes in infant development that researchers often observe over months arise from infants' moment-to-moment experiences.

The influence of books' textual features and caregivers' extratextual talk on children's science learning in the context of shared book reading

During early childhood, reading books with one's caregiver (shared book reading) is a valuable means of supporting learning. Yet, there are gaps in our understanding of the influence of shared book reading on young children's science learning. The current research bridges this gap by examining the pedagogical quality of science books in preschool-aged children's environments and investigating how such books influence children's learning and caregivers' extratextual talk during shared book reading. In Study 1, we coded 60 science books that were readily available in young children's environments within the United States. The books were designed for English speakers and recommended for preschool-aged children. We coded the books for the extent to which they were Coherent (elaborated on facts presented by providing details, examples, comparisons, etc.) and included Embedded Questions. However, many books were low in Cohesion and Embedded Questions and were of low pedagogical quality. In Study 2, we tested thirty-eight 4- to 5-year-old children (55% female, 76% White) and their caregivers in the Southeastern United States. We assessed the influence of books' levels of Cohesion and Embedded Questions and of caregivers' Elaborative extratextual talk during shared book reading on children's science learning. Children learned more from books high in Cohesion, irrespective of levels of Embedded Questions and caregivers' Elaborative Talk. Additionally, children learned more from books high in Embedded Questions when caregivers used more Elaborative Talk. This research highlights the importance that books' textual features and social interactions during shared book reading have in promoting early science learning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining Shared Reading and White Matter Organization in Kindergarten in Relation to Subsequent Language and Reading Abilities: A Longitudinal Investigation

Parent-child language interaction in early childhood carries long-term implications for children's language and reading development. Conversational interaction, in particular, has been linked to white matter organization of neural pathways critical for language and reading. However, shared book reading serves an important role for language interaction as it exposes children to sophisticated vocabulary and syntax. Despite this, it remains unclear whether shared reading also relates to white matter characteristics subserving language and reading development. If so, to what extent do these environmentally associated changes in white matter organization relate to subsequent reading outcomes? This longitudinal study examined shared reading and white matter organization in kindergarten in relation to subsequent language and reading outcomes among 77 typically developing children. Findings reveal positive associations between the number of hours children are read to weekly (shared reading time) and the fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus, as well as left lateralization of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Furthermore, left lateralization of the SLF in these kindergarteners is associated with subsequent reading abilities in second grade. Mediation analyses reveal that left lateralization of the SLF fully mediates the relationship between shared reading time and second-grade reading abilities. Results are significant when controlling for age and socioeconomic status. This is the first evidence demonstrating how white matter structure, in relation to shared reading in kindergarten, is associated with school-age reading outcomes. Results illuminate shared reading as a key proxy for the home language and literacy environment and further our understanding of how language interaction may support neurocognitive development.

Neighbourhood characteristics, lifestyle factors, and child development: Secondary analysis of the All our families cohort study

Background

Neighbourhood characteristics have been found to influence child development, but little is known about lifestyle factors that may moderate this relationship, which can provide modifiable targets for policies and programing. This study investigated the association between neighbourhood characteristics (e.g., deprivation, disorder) during pregnancy and child development at age 5 in relation to various lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, parent-child reading, community resource use) during early childhood.

Methods

A secondary analysis was conducted using multilevel modeling of data from the All Our Families cohort, recruited in Canada from 2008 to 2010. Participants self-reported on demographics during pregnancy, lifestyle factors at 3 years, and child development at 5 years using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Neighbourhood deprivation was evaluated using the Vancouver Area Deprivation Index (VANDIX), while disorder was measured using police services' community crime reports.

Results

Geocoded information was available for 2,444 participants. After adjusting for covariates, multilevel modeling indicated a significant negative association between neighbourhood deprivation and overall child development (b = -.726, 95% CI: -1.344, -.120). Parent-child reading was found to be a significant moderator of the effect of neighbourhood disorder (b = .005, 95% CI: .001, .009). There were no statistically significant moderation effects for physical activity or community resource use.

Conclusion

Neighbourhood deprivation during pregnancy is associated with early child development. Parent-child reading may function as a protective factor in the presence of higher neighbourhood disorder. Overall, neighbourhood-level effects should be considered in policies and community programs that promote family and child well-being.

Language input in late infancy scaffolds emergent literacy skills and predicts reading related white matter development

Longitudinal studies provide the unique opportunity to test whether early language provides a scaffolding for the acquisition of the ability to read. This study tests the hypothesis that parental language input during the first 2 years of life predicts emergent literacy skills at 5 years of age, and that white matter development observed early in the 3rd year (at 26 months) may help to account for these effects. We collected naturalistic recordings of parent and child language at 6, 10, 14, 18, and 24 months using the Language ENvironment Analysis system (LENA) in a group of typically developing infants. We then examined the relationship between language measures during infancy and follow-up measures of reading related skills at age 5 years, in the same group of participants (N = 53). A subset of these children also completed diffusion and quantitative MRI scans at age 2 years (N = 20). Within this subgroup, diffusion tractography was used to identify white matter pathways that are considered critical to language and reading development, namely, the arcuate fasciculus (AF), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and inferior occipital-frontal fasciculus. Quantitative macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping was used to characterize myelin density within these separately defined regions of interest. The longitudinal data were then used to test correlations between early language input and output, white matter measures at age 2 years, and pre-literacy skills at age 5 years. Parental language input, child speech output, and parent-child conversational turns correlated with pre-literacy skills, as well as myelin density estimates within the left arcuate and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Mediation analyses indicated that the left AF accounted for longitudinal relationships between infant home language measures and 5-year letter identification and letter-sound knowledge, suggesting that the left AF myelination at 2 years may serve as a mechanism by which early language experience supports emergent literacy.

Parenting Culture(s): Ideal-Parent Beliefs Across 37 Countries

What is it to be “an ideal parent”? Does the answer differ across countries and social classes? To answer these questions in a way that minimizes bias and ethnocentrism, we used open-ended questions to explore ideal-parent beliefs among 8,357 mothers and 3,517 fathers from 37 countries. Leximancer Semantic Network Analysis was utilized to first determine parenting culture zones (i.e., countries with shared ideal-parent beliefs) and then extract the predominant themes and concepts in each culture zone. The results yielded specific types of ideal-parent beliefs in five parenting culture zones: being “responsible and children/family-focused” for Asian parents, being “responsible and proper demeanor-focused” for African parents, and being “loving and responsible” for Hispanic-Italian parents. Although the most important themes and concepts were the same in the final two zones—being “loving and patient,” there were subtle differences: English-speaking, European Union, and Russian parents emphasized “being caring,” while French-speaking parents valued “listening” or being “present.” Ideal-parent beliefs also differed by education levels within culture zones, but no general pattern was discerned across culture zones. These findings suggest that the country in which parents were born cannot fully explain their differences in ideal-parent beliefs and that differences arising from social class or education level cannot be dismissed. Future research should consider how these differences affect the validity of the measurements in question and how they can be incorporated into parenting intervention research within and across cultures.

Home language and literacy environment and its relationship to socioeconomic status and white matter structure in infancy

The home language and literacy environment (HLLE) in infancy has been associated with subsequent pre-literacy skill development and HLLE at preschool-age has been shown to correlate with white matter organization in tracts that subserve pre-reading and reading skills. Furthermore, childhood socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked with both HLLE and white matter organization. It is important to understand whether the relationships between environmental factors such as HLLE and SES and white matter organization can be detected as early as infancy, as this period is characterized by rapid brain development that may make white matter pathways particularly susceptible to these early experiences. Here, we hypothesized that HLLE (1) relates to white matter organization in pre-reading and reading-related tracts in infants, and (2) mediates a link between SES and white matter organization. To test these hypotheses, infants (mean age: 8.6 ± 2.3 months, N = 38) underwent diffusion-weighted imaging MRI during natural sleep. Image processing was performed with an infant-specific pipeline and fractional anisotropy (FA) was estimated from the arcuate fasciculus (AF) and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) bilaterally using the baby automated fiber quantification method. HLLE was measured with the Reading subscale of the StimQ (StimQ-Reading) and SES was measured with years of maternal education. Self-reported maternal reading ability was also quantified and applied to our statistical models as a proxy for confounding genetic effects. StimQ-Reading positively correlated with FA in left AF and to maternal education, but did not mediate the relationship between them. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of considering HLLE from the start of life and may inform novel prevention and intervention strategies to support developing infants during a period of heightened brain plasticity.

Book Language and Its Implications for Children’s Language, Literacy, and Development

The onset of literacy marks a significant change in children’s development. Written language is more complex than everyday conversation, and even books targeted at preschoolers contain more varied words and more complex syntax than child-directed speech does. We review the nature and content of children’s book language, focusing on recent large-scale corpus analyses that systematically compared written and spoken language. We argue that exposure to book language provides opportunities for learning words and syntactic constructions that are only rarely encountered in speech and that, in turn, this rich experience drives further developments in language and literacy. Moreover, we speculate that the range, variety, depth, and sophistication of book language provide key input that promotes children’s social and emotional development. Becoming literate changes things, and researchers need to better understand how and why reading experience shapes people’s minds and becomes associated with a range of skills and abilities across the life span.

Dialogic Book-Sharing as a Privileged Intersubjective Space

Parental reading to young children is well-established as being positively associated with child cognitive development, particularly their language development. Research indicates that a particular, "intersubjective," form of using books with children, "Dialogic Book-sharing" (DBS), is especially beneficial to infants and pre-school aged children, particularly when using picture books. The work on DBS to date has paid little attention to the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the approach. Here, we address the question of what processes taking place during DBS confer benefits to child development, and why these processes are beneficial. In a novel integration of evidence, ranging from non-human primate communication through iconic gestures and pointing, archaeological data on Pre-hominid and early human art, to experimental and naturalistic studies of infant attention, cognitive processing, and language, we argue that DBS entails core characteristics that make it a privileged intersubjective space for the promotion of child cognitive and language development. This analysis, together with the findings of DBS intervention studies, provides a powerful intellectual basis for the wide-scale promotion of DBS, especially in disadvantaged populations.

Reduced mother-child brain-to-brain synchrony during joint storytelling interaction interrupted by a media usage

Parent-child synchrony is related to the quality of parent and child interactions and child development. One very emotionally and cognitively beneficial interaction in early childhood is Dialogic Reading (DR). Screen exposure was previously related to decreased parent-child interaction. Using a hyperscanning Electroencephalogram (EEG) method, the current study examined the neurobiological correlates for mother-child DR vs. mobile phone-interrupted DR in twenty-four white toddlers (24-42 months old, 8 girls) and their mothers. The DR-interrupted condition was related to decreased mother-child neural synchrony between the mother's language-related brain regions (left hemisphere) and the child's comprehension-related regions (right hemisphere) compared to the uninterrupted DR. This is the first neural evidence of the negative effect of parental smartphone use on parent-child interaction quality.

Naturalistic parent-child reading frequency and language development in toddlers with and without autism

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The efficacy of parent-child reading for supporting language development has been well-established in the neurotypical (NT) literature. For children with autism spectrum disorder, (ASD) who may be at risk for delays in language development, prior research has shown promise for shared book-reading interventions. Yet there has been limited research on naturalistic parent-child reading with autistic children to date. The present study aimed to fill this missing link in the current literature.

METHODS

Fifty-seven autistic toddlers participated at two developmental time points: Time 1 (Mage = 30.4 months) and Time 2 (Mage = 43.8 months). An NT control group (N = 31) was matched on age to a subset of the ASD group (N = 33). We assessed group differences in parent-child reading frequency between age-matched NT and autistic groups. Using a one-year follow-up design, we evaluated the relationship between parent-child reading and autistic children's language development.

RESULTS

Cross-group comparisons revealed that parents of age-matched NT children reported significantly more frequent weekly parent-child reading than parents of autistic toddlers. After a one-year follow-up with the autistic group, within-group analyses revealed that greater frequency of parent-child reading (controlling for maternal education, books in the home, and autism symptom severity) was associated with larger growth in autistic toddlers' receptive and expressive language skills.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These findings have important clinical implications as they emphasize the potential of parent-child reading for supporting autistic children's language development. Findings demonstrate that frequency of parent-child reading is associated with language development over one year. Findings also demonstrate that parents of autistic children engage in less frequent parent-child reading than parents of age-matched NT peers, suggesting these parents may face more barriers to implementing parent-child reading than parents of NT children.

Parents' Beliefs and Behaviors About Their Children's Literacy Development: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

A home environment that promotes learning is a significant factor in school performance in which children's parents are involved in their education. However, little study has focused on parents' reading-related beliefs or the relationship between parents' literacy beliefs and behaviors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study describes the range of parents' reported literacy beliefs and behaviors and examines whether an association exists in Saudi Arabia. It was conducted on a convenient sample of 100 parents using a web-based self-administrated shared with families in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics clinics at multiple sites utilizing the Parents' Perceptions of Literacy Learning Interview Schedule (PPLLIS).

RESULTS

There were 83 mothers and 17 fathers; 90% had a university degree or higher. Parents' beliefs ranged between 87 and 123, with a mean of 103.54 ± 8.05, indicating more holistic perceptions than skills-based ones. There was only a positive significant correlation between parents' beliefs and behaviors regarding literacy activities. However, those participating in literacy activities with their kids were more holistic parents and scored the top one-third on the PPLLIS.

CONCLUSION

Parents' beliefs and their reported behaviors are found to be significantly impacted by their educational levels. Therefore, future investigations and national campaigns are encouraged to improve parents' educational levels, especially in urban areas.

A narrative review of the effect of parent-child shared reading in preterm infants

The benefits of book-reading interventions on language development in full-term infants have been well investigated. Because children born preterm face a greater risk of cognitive, language and emotional impairments, this narrative review examines the theoretical evidence, empirical findings, and practical challenges for introducing such intervention to this population. The effect of shared book interventions on typically developing infants is mediated by three components: a linguistic aspect (i.e., exposure to enriched linguistic input), an interactive aspect (i.e., eliciting more synchronous and contingent communication), and a parental aspect (i.e., reducing parental stress and increasing sense of control). Parental shared book reading in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was found to be feasible and well accepted. It provides concrete support for positive parenting in a highly stressful context. Preliminary evidence supports a positive effect of shared reading sessions in physiological parameters of preterm infants in NICU. One study showed that parental shared book reading in an NICU is associated with lower decline in language development during the first 24 months compared to a historical control group. Findings from a community-based birth cohort confirm the positive effect of this intervention on cognitive development with a 2-year-follow up. More structured clinical trials are now needed to confirm these preliminary findings. Questions remain about possible moderators of these interventions, in particular cultural features.

Shared storybook reading with children at family risk of dyslexia

BACKGROUND

Shared storybook reading is an important context for language learning and often constitutes young children's first encounter with the printed word. The quality of early shared reading interactions is a known predictor of language and reading development, but few studies have examined these interactions in children at family risk of dyslexia.

METHODS

This exploratory study describes the quality of shared storybook reading between mothers and their 3- to 4-year-old children at family risk of dyslexia (FR; n = 18) in comparison with dyads with no known risk (no-FR; n = 13). Mother-child interactions while sharing a familiar and an unfamiliar storybook were coded for type of extra-textual talk (meaning-related talk at the concrete and abstract levels; print-related talk) and affective quality. Maternal and child language and literacy skills were considered as potential correlates of shared reading quality.

RESULTS

The linguistic and affective quality of shared reading was broadly comparable across FR and no-FR dyads, particularly when sharing a book they knew well, with large within-group variation. Mothers contributed more concrete meaning-related talk when introducing an unfamiliar book to their children; children contributed more extra-textual talk overall when sharing a familiar book. Maternal language, but not reading, skills were related to the linguistic quality of shared reading. The affective quality of reading interactions was rated more highly in dyads where mothers and children had stronger language skills.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the quality of shared reading does not vary systematically as a function of children's risk of dyslexia but is related to maternal language skills. This finding needs to be replicated in a larger sample in order to better understand the risk and protective factors associated with dyslexia.

HIGHLIGHTS

What is already known about this topic The quality of extra-textual talk during shared reading between parents and preschoolers predicts later language and literacy outcomes in typically developing children.The affective quality of early shared reading predicts children's motivation to read independently in later childhood.Children at family risk of dyslexia are more likely than their peers with no family risk to have difficulty learning to read and may show weaknesses in oral language skills. What this paper adds The linguistic and affective quality of shared reading between mothers and preschool children is broadly similar when children are at family risk of dyslexia compared with no family risk.The type and quantity of extra-textual talk contributed by mothers and children appears to differ according to the familiarity of the storybook, but replication of the findings in a larger sample is required.The linguistic and affective quality of shared reading is related to maternal language skills. Implications for theory, policy or practice Shared storybook reading offers rich language learning opportunities for children at family risk of dyslexia.Maternal language skills may be an important determinant of the interactional quality of shared reading.The linguistic and affective quality of shared reading is not clearly associated with maternal reading difficulties.

Personal narrative as a 'breeding ground' for higher-order thinking talk in early parent-child interactions

Personal narrative is decontextualized talk where individuals recount stories of personal experiences about past or future events. As an everyday discursive speech type, narrative potentially invites parents and children to explicitly link together, generalize from, and make inferences about representations-i.e., to engage in higher-order thinking talk (HOTT). Here we ask whether narratives in early parent-child interactions include proportionally more HOTT than other forms of everyday home language. Sixty-four children (31 girls; 36 White, 14 Black, 8 Hispanic, 6 mixed/other race) and their primary caregiver(s) (M _income = $61,000) were recorded in 90-minute spontaneous home interactions every 4 months from 14-58 months. Speech was transcribed and coded for narrative and HOTT. We found that parents at all visits and children after 38 months used more HOTT in narrative than non-narrative, and more HOTT than expected by chance. At 38- and 50-months, we examined HOTT in a related but distinct form of decontextualized talk-pretend, or talk during imaginary episodes of interaction-as a control to test whether other forms of decontextualized talk also relate to HOTT. While pretend contained more HOTT than other (non-narrative/non-pretend) talk, it generally contained less HOTT than narrative. Additionally, unlike HOTT during narrative, the amount of HOTT during pretend did not exceed the amount expected by chance, suggesting narrative serves as a particularly rich 'breeding ground' for HOTT in parent-child interactions. These findings provide insight into the nature of narrative discourse, and suggest narrative potentially may be used as a lever to increase children's higher-order thinking.

Parent Language Input Prior to School Forecasts Change in Children's Language-Related Cortical Structures During Mid-Adolescence

Children differ widely in their early language development, and this variability has important implications for later life outcomes. Parent language input is a strong experiential factor predicting the variability in children's early language skills. However, little is known about the brain or cognitive mechanisms that underlie the relationship. In addressing this gap, we used longitudinal data spanning 15 years to examine the role of early parental language input that children receive during preschool years in the development of brain structures that support language processing during school years. Using naturalistic parent-child interactions, we measured parental language input (amount and complexity) to children between the ages of 18 and 42 months (n = 23). We then assessed longitudinal changes in children's cortical thickness measured at five time points between 9 and 16 years of age. We focused on specific regions of interest (ROIs) that have been shown to play a role in language processing. Our results support the view that, even after accounting for important covariates such as parental intelligence quotient (IQ) and education, the amount and complexity of language input to a young child prior to school forecasts the rate of change in cortical thickness during the 7-year period from 5½ to 12½ years later. Examining the proximal correlates of change in brain and cognitive differences has the potential to inform targets for effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Functional Connectivity in Infancy and Toddlerhood Predicts Long-Term Language and Preliteracy Outcomes

Functional connectivity (FC) techniques can delineate brain organization as early as infancy, enabling the characterization of early brain characteristics associated with subsequent behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have identified specific functional networks in infant brains that underlie cognitive abilities and pathophysiology subsequently observed in toddlers and preschoolers. However, it is unknown whether and how functional networks emerging within the first 18 months of life contribute to the development of higher order, complex functions of language/literacy at school-age. This 5-year longitudinal imaging project starting in infancy, utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and demonstrated prospective associations between FC in infants/toddlers and subsequent language and foundational literacy skills at 6.5 years old. These longitudinal associations were shown independently of key environmental influences and further present in a subsample of infant imaging data (≤12 months), suggesting early emerged functional networks specifically linked to high-order language and preliteracy skills. Moreover, emergent language skills in infancy and toddlerhood contributed to the prospective associations, implicating a role of early linguistic experiences in shaping the FC correlates of long-term oral language skills. The current results highlight the importance of functional organization established in infancy and toddlerhood as a neural scaffold underlying the learning process of complex cognitive functions.

Chinese American Immigrant Parents' Socialization of Emotions in Bilingual Bicultural Preschool Children

The purpose of this study was to examine Cantonese-speaking Chinese American immigrant parents' socialization of emotions in bilingual bicultural preschool children, using a combination of a parent questionnaire and parent language samples from emotion-elicited storytelling tasks. Sixteen Cantonese-speaking parents and their children participated in this study. Children were sequential bilinguals who were exposed to Cantonese (L1) at home since birth, and then learned English (L2) at school. The Chinese parent questionnaire examined parents' emotion talk in the home, as well as the child's dual language background and language distribution. Parents' language samples in Cantonese were collected from three parent-child storytelling tasks that each elicited a different type of negative emotion (sad, angry, scared). Results from the parent questionnaire and the parent language samples were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. In the parent questionnaire, correlation analysis revealed that parents' use of guilt emotions was not associated with any of the other emotion words, suggesting that parents may not talk about guilt as frequently as the other emotions. Results from the parents' language samples showed no significant differences between parents' number of emotion words and emotion explanations across the storytelling tasks, suggesting that parents used negative emotion words similarly across all three books. Further qualitative analysis between the parent questionnaire and the language samples revealed patterns in the way parents use Chinese emotion words with their children. Findings illustrate how the combined use of a parent questionnaire and parent language samples offer complementary information to provide a more comprehensive understanding about Chinese American immigrant parents' socialization of emotions.

Beyond language: Impacts of shared reading on parenting stress and early parent-child relational health

This study examined the interrelated and longitudinal impacts of parent-child shared book reading, parenting stress, and early relational health, as measured by both parental warmth and parent sensitivity, from infancy to toddlerhood. To extend findings from previous studies of collateral effects that have been conducted in parenting interventions, we examined parenting behaviors in a broader context to determine whether shared book reading would confer collateral benefits to the parent and parent-child relationship beyond those expected (i.e., language and literacy). It was hypothesized that positive parent-child interactions, such as shared reading, would have positive impacts on parent outcomes such as parenting stress, parental warmth, and sensitivity. The sample consisted of 293 low-income mothers and their children who participated in a randomized controlled trial. Shared book reading, parenting stress, and parental warmth were assessed when children were 6 and 18 months old. We computed a series of cross-lagged structural equation models to examine longitudinal interrelations among these three factors. Results indicated that shared book reading at 6 months was associated with increases in observed and reported parental warmth and observed sensitivity and decreases in parenting stress at 18 months, controlling for baseline risk factors and treatment group status. These findings suggest that early parent-child book reading can have positive collateral impacts on parents' stress and the parent-child relationship over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Differences in sentence complexity in the text of children's picture books and child-directed speech

Reading picture books to pre-literate children is associated with improved language outcomes, but the causal pathways of this relationship are not well understood. The present analyses focus on several syntactic differences between the text of children's picture books and typical child-directed speech, with the aim of understanding ways in which picture book text may systematically differ from typical child-directed speech. The analyses show that picture books contain more rare and complex sentence types, including passive sentences and sentences containing relative clauses, than does child-directed speech. These differences in the patterns of language contained in picture books and typical child-directed speech suggest that one important means by which picture book reading may come to be associated with improved language outcomes is by providing children with types of complex language that might be otherwise rare in their input.