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Parent-child interactions and development of toddlers born preterm
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.
Insights
Parent-child interactions significantly impact infant development. Early engagement by mothers and fathers, alongside factors like child gender and socioeconomic status, positively influences cognitive and communication skills in preterm and full-term infants.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Preterm infants often face developmental challenges compared to full-term infants.
- Parent-child interaction quality is a critical factor in early child development.
- Understanding predictors of developmental outcomes is essential for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between early parent-child interactions and developmental outcomes in preterm and full-term infants.
- To identify specific factors predicting cognitive and communication development at 18 months adjusted age.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal observation of parent-child interactions using the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale at 3 and 12 months.
- Parental stress assessed via the Parenting Stress Index at 3 and 12 months.
- Child development evaluated at 18 months adjusted age using Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Sequenced Inventory of Communication Development-Revised, and MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory.
Main Results:
- Preterm infants demonstrated significantly lower scores on the Bayley Mental scale and produced fewer words compared to full-term infants.
- Parent-child interactions were found to be significant contributors to overall child development.
- Maternal interaction, child gender, and socioeconomic status predicted 17% of the variance in Bayley Mental scores.
- Maternal and paternal interactions, child gender, and child's behavior with mother predicted 22% of the variance in receptive communication skills.
Conclusions:
- Early parent-child interactions play a crucial role in mitigating developmental delays in infants, including those born preterm.
- Maternal engagement, paternal engagement, child gender, and socioeconomic status are key predictors of cognitive development.
- Effective parent-child communication strategies can enhance receptive communication skills in young children.
Abstract:
Fathers and mothers of 49 healthy preterm and 54 full-term infants were observed interacting with their child at 3 and 12 months using the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale. Each parent completed the Parenting Stress Index at both times. At 18 months adjusted age, the children were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Sequenced Inventory of Communication Development-Revised, and MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory. Preterm children scored significantly lower on the Bayley Mental scale and on the number of words produced. Early parent-child interactions contributed to the child's development. Mother's interactions with the child, child gender, and family socioeconomic status predicted 17% of the variance in the Bayley Mental score. Mother's and father's interactions with the child, child gender, and the child's behavior with his or her mother predicted 22% of the variance in receptive communication skills.