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EEG Mu Rhythm in Typical and Atypical Development
Published on: April 9, 2014
Characteristics of early rhythmic behaviors in children at risk for developmental disorders
Rose Kroeker1, Alan S Unis, Gene P Sackett
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
Insights
Early rhythmic behaviors in infants at risk for developmental delays showed varied associations with later cognitive outcomes. These findings suggest that the context of behavior is crucial for understanding its developmental significance.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Abnormal stereotyped behaviors are a significant challenge for individuals with mental retardation or mental illness.
- Understanding the early development of these behaviors is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early rhythmic behaviors of children at increased risk for developmental delays.
- To explore the relationship between early rhythmic behaviors and later cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Rhythmic behaviors were coded from laboratory videotapes of 13-month-old children born prematurely and children born at term.
- Structured interaction segments were used to observe behaviors.
Main Results:
- Few differences in early rhythmic behaviors were observed between premature and full-term infants.
- Some associations between rhythmic behaviors and cognitive outcomes at 2 years were found after controlling for socioeconomic status.
- The direction of these associations depended on the specific context of the observed behavior.
Conclusions:
- Topographically similar behaviors can have different functional significance depending on the setting.
- In certain contexts, infant rhythmic behaviors may support development.
- The lack of differences in rhythmic behaviors based on prematurity suggests abnormal stereotyped behaviors emerge later than 13 months.
Objective:
Abnormal stereotyped behaviors are a significant problem for many individuals with mental retardation or mental illness. To increase understanding of the development of abnormal stereotyped behaviors, the authors investigated the early rhythmic behaviors of children at increased risk for developmental delays.
Method:
Rhythmic behaviors in 13-month-old children born prematurely and in children born at term were coded from laboratory videotapes of structured interaction segments.
Results:
While few differences in early rhythmic behaviors were found between children born prematurely and control children, some relationships with cognitive outcomes at 2 years were identified after controlling for family socioeconomic status. However, the direction of the association was dependent on the specific coded situation. No differences in the durations of rhythmic behavior bouts were found between the groups.
Conclusions:
The findings indicate that even topographically similar behaviors have different functional significance in different settings. In at least some settings, rhythmic behaviors in infancy and early childhood seem to facilitate development. The fact that specific forms of rhythmic behaviors did not differ on the basis of prematurity status suggests that abnormal stereotyped behaviors have an onset later than 13 months.
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