scholarly journals Maternal Use of Decontextualized and Contextualized Talk: An In-Depth Investigation of Early Parent–Child Interactions in Down Syndrome

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Hilvert ◽  
Emily Lorang ◽  
Audra Sterling
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Typical Development ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Early Parent ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Parent Child

Purpose The goal of this study was to characterize and quantify maternal use of decontextualized and contextualized input during mother–child interactions including young children with Down syndrome (DS). Method Participants included 22 mother–child dyads with DS ( M age = 42.8 months) and 22 mother–child dyads with typical development ( M age = 44.0 months). Parent–child language samples were collected during free-play, book reading, and snack time, and coded for maternal decontextualized (i.e., pretend, explanatory, and narrative talk) and contextualized input (i.e., descriptions, conversation, praise, questions, and directives). Results Mothers of children with DS used a larger proportion of pretend talk compared to other types of decontextualized input and also used a larger proportion of questions, conversation, and descriptions compared to other types of contextualized language. Mothers of children with DS generally used a smaller proportion of decontextualized input compared to mothers of children with typical development, with the exception of pretend talk. Maternal decontextualized input was not related to children's age or language ability in DS. Conclusions Findings shed new light on the early language environments of children with DS, providing important insight into the ways that mothers of children with DS are incorporating decontextualized and contextualized talk into early mother–child conversations. Additional implications and future directions are discussed.

Mother–child interactions in young children with excessive physical aggression and in typically developing young children

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Urbain-Gauthier ◽  
Jaqueline Wendland
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Young Age ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Early Parent ◽  
Parent Child

Background: Among the multiple risk factors, the emergence of conduct problems in young children may be linked to harsh parenting and child’s temperamental difficulties, leading to a reciprocal early discordant relationship. Little is known about the characteristics of early parent–child interactions in young children with physical aggression. Objective: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the characteristics of mother–child interactions in dyads referred for excessive physical aggression in young children under 5 years of age compared to mother–child interactions in typically developing young children. Method: Mother–child interactions were assessed during a free-play session in both a clinical sample ( N = 70, child mean age  = 3.5 years) and a nonclinical sample ( N = 80, child mean age  = 3.5 years) by using the Rating Scale of Interaction Style (Clark and Seifer, adapted by Molitor and Mayes). Results: Significant differences were found between several interactive features in clinical and nonclinical dyads. In clinical dyads, mothers’ behaviors were often characterized by intrusiveness and criticism toward children, and poor facilitative positioning. Children with excessive aggressive behavior often displayed poor communication, initiation of bids, and poor responsiveness toward the mother. They displayed fewer sustained bouts of play than typically developing children did. In clinical dyads, strong positive correlations were found between child responsiveness and maternal interest in engagement ( r = .41, p < .001), while the child displaying sustained bouts of play was negatively correlated with the mother’s attempts to intrude on the child’s activity ( r = .64, p < .05). Conclusions: These data show that children with excessive aggressive behavior develop disrupted mother–infant interactions from a very young age. Several negative interactive features and correlations between child behavior and maternal behavior were found in clinical samples. The effects of these features add up and probably strengthen each other, thus leading to interactive difficulties from a very young age. More attention should be paid to early parent–child interactions in case of child behavioral problems. The recognition of these interactive dysfunctions is discussed in terms of clinical implications for therapeutic interventions.

scholarly journals Short-term test–retest reliability and continuity of emotional availability in parent–child dyads

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-277
Author(s):  
Joyce J. Endendijk ◽  
Marleen G. Groeneveld ◽  
Maja Deković ◽  
Carlijn van den Boomen
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Availability ◽  
Free Play ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Retest Reliability ◽  
Child Involvement ◽  
Parenting Dimensions ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Parent Child

The emotional availability scales (EAS), 4th edition, are widely used in research and clinical practice to assess the quality of parent–child interaction. This study examined the short-term reliability and continuity of the EAS (4th ed.) assessed in two similar observational contexts over a one-week interval. Sixty-two Dutch parents (85% mothers) and their 9- to 12-month-old infants ( Mage = 10.07 months, SD = 0.47, 53% boys) were videotaped twice while they interacted with each other during several tasks (free play, structured play, book reading, toys taken away). The videotapes were coded with the EAS 4th edition by two reliable coders. Moderate to strong test–retest reliability was found for the three EA parent-dimensions: sensitivity, structuring, and nonintrusiveness. Child involvement was not reliable over a one-week period, and child responsiveness could only be reliably assessed in boys. Test–retest reliability of structuring was also higher for boys than for girls. Regarding continuity, mean levels of sensitivity, structuring, nonintrusiveness, and involvement did not change over a one-week interval, but responsiveness increased for girls only. Thus, the parenting dimensions of the 4th edition of the EAS reflect stable and consistent characteristics of the parent–child dyad on the short term, but the child measures do not.

scholarly journals Conditions of Poverty, Parent–Child Interactions, and Toddlers’ Early Language Skills in Low-Income Families

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 971-978 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Justice ◽  
Hui Jiang ◽  
Kelly M. Purtell ◽  
Kammi Schmeer ◽  
Kelly Boone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Early Language Skills ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Parent Child

The effects of a responsive parenting intervention on parent–child interactions during shared book reading.

2012 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 969-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan H. Landry ◽  
Karen E. Smith ◽  
Paul R. Swank ◽  
Tricia Zucker ◽  
April D. Crawford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parenting Intervention ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Shared Book Reading ◽  
Responsive Parenting ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Parent Child

scholarly journals The Observed Experiences of Music Therapy on Parent-Child Interaction for Families with Children with Down Syndrome

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jess O' Donoghue
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Study Materials ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Parent Child Interaction ◽  
Families With Children ◽  
Parent Child

The relationship between the quality of parent-child interactions and positive child development is well established in the literature. Nevertheless, parental and familial factors may pose risks to parents’ capacity to participate in quality interactions with their children. Families with a child with a disability in particular are more likely to experience social isolation, and higher levels of parenting stress. Early intervention programmes to promote positive parent-child interaction for these families is well recognised. However, there is a lack of literature about the effectiveness of such programmes for these families. This research study explores music therapy on parent-child interaction, specifically focusing on children with a diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS). This case study involves two in-depth cases of children diagnosed with DS and their primary caregivers. The study documents individual music therapy sessions which took place over a six week period. The case study materials were gathered through the researcher’s direct observations, fieldwork notes, and reflective journal logs. The music therapy block encouraged the primary caregivers to be more responsive during parent-child interactions. Furthermore, the children involved learned to engage and share musical activities with their mothers.

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