Faculty of Education - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 3 of 3
-
ItemAssociations between Maternal Behaviors at 1 Year and Child Language at 2 Years in a Cohort of Women Experiencing Adversity(WILEY, 2018-01-01)Variations in parenting have been suggested as contributing to a higher prevalence of language difficulties in children experiencing economic, environmental, and social adversity. Within these cohorts, the contribution of responsive and intrusive parenting to child language has been investigated; specific responsive and intrusive behaviors encapsulated within these parenting styles have yet to be fully examined. Additionally, the role of the mother–child dynamic in moderating mother–child associations has also not been explored. This study aimed to augment current research by identifying specific responsive and intrusive maternal behaviors associated with child language in a cohort experiencing adversity, as well as exploring the role of the fluency and connectedness of mother–child conversation in moderating associations (n = 249). Specific behaviors and the fluency and connectedness of the mother–child interaction were coded from free‐play videos at child age 12 months. Child language measures were derived from transcripts of free play at 24 months. Linear regression models were used to examine maternal–child associations. The moderating role of fluency and connectedness was then explored. Maternal imitations were positively associated with the child's total words; successful redirectives were negatively associated with the child's mean length of turn. Both associations were moderated by the fluency and connectedness of the interaction.
-
ItemAssociations between early maternal behaviours and child language at 36 months in a cohort experiencing adversity(WILEY, 2019-01)BACKGROUND: Variations in parenting, more specifically less responsive and more directive parenting, contribute to language difficulties for children experiencing adversity. Further investigation of associations between specific responsive and directive behaviours and child language is required to understand how behaviours shape language over time within different populations. As language is dyadic, further exploration of how mother-child interactions moderate associations is also important. AIMS: To investigate associations between specific responsive and directive maternal behaviours, the quality of mother-child interaction (fluency and connectedness) and child language in a cohort experiencing adversity. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Pregnant women experiencing adversity were recruited from maternity hospitals in Australia. At 12 months, videos of mother-infant free play were collected. Videos were coded for maternal behaviours and fluency and connectedness (n = 249). At 36 months, child language was measured using a standardized language test. Linear regression models were used to examine associations and the moderating role of fluency and connectedness was explored. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Responsive yes/no questions were positively associated with language scores. Unsuccessful redirectives were negatively associated with language scores. The moderation effect of fluency and connectedness was equivocal in the current data. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Findings reproduce and extend previous research highlighting key features of mother-child interactions associated with child language trajectories. Findings also augment knowledge of risk and protective factors related to language for children experiencing adversity and highlight where targeted interventions might be successful.
-
ItemPredictive validity of verbal and non-verbal communication and mother-child turn-taking at 12 months on language outcomes at 24 and 36 months in a cohort of infants experiencing adversity: a preliminary study(WILEY, 2018-09)BACKGROUND: Parent-reported measures of early communication have limitations for use with infants experiencing adversity. Observational measures of early non-verbal and verbal communicative behaviours and mother-child turn-taking may provide a complementary method of capturing early communication skills for these children. AIMS: To explore the predictive validity of verbal and non-verbal behaviours and mother-child conversational turn-taking (fluency and connectedness) at child age 12 months in relation to language measures at 24 and 36 months in a cohort of infants experiencing adversity. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Pregnant women experiencing adversity were recruited from maternity hospitals in Australia. At 12 months, 190 infants were videoed during mother-child free-play. Verbal and non-verbal communicative behaviours and fluency and connectedness were measured from the 12-month videos. Predictive validity of 12-month behaviours was calculated in relation to mean length of utterance and number of unique words at 24 months and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool-Second Edition (CELF-P2) Core Language scores at 36 months. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: All 12-month behaviours had adequate specificity but poor sensitivity when compared with other predictive validity studies using published early language measures. However, in adjusted regression models, fluency and connectedness and verbal behaviours at 12 months predicted unique words at 24 months. Fluency and connectedness also predicted CELF-P2 scores at 36 months. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Findings reconfirm the difficulty in early identification of children at risk of later language difficulties. All 12-month measures were more accurate at identifying those children who will have better language than those children who will not. As fluency and connectedness was the only measure to predict 24- and 36-month language in adjusted regression models, it may be an important factor to consider when measuring early language skills for infants experiencing adversity. Future research could combine observational measures of early communication and fluency and connectedness with other predictors of language to try to increase prediction accuracy.