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Functional Play at 2 Years of Age: Effects of Prenatal Maternal Stress

David P Laplante1, Philip R Zelazo2, Alain Brunei3

  • 1Douglas Hospital Research Centre.

Infancy : the Official Journal of the International Society on Infant Studies
|January 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) from natural disasters negatively impacts toddler play, leading to more stereotypical and less functional toy engagement. This research highlights potential developmental deficits in children exposed to early-life stress.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) is linked to developmental deficits in children.
  • Natural disasters provide an objective measure of early-life stress exposure.
  • Toy play offers a nonverbal assessment of cognitive development in toddlers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of objective PNMS from a natural disaster on toddler toy play.
  • To determine if high PNMS exposure correlates with altered play behaviors.
  • To assess the relationship between PNMS and functional vs. stereotypical play.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 52 two-year-olds exposed to varying levels of objective PNMS.
  • Observed spontaneous toy play in a non-structured setting.
  • Quantified functional play, stereotypical play, and play diversity.

Main Results:

  • Toddlers with high objective PNMS exhibited significantly more stereotypical play.
  • High PNMS exposure was associated with less diverse and less functional toy play.
  • Both objective and subjective PNMS negatively affected functional play development.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal maternal stress negatively impacts toddler functional play development.
  • Findings align with previous research showing PNMS-related delays in language and intellectual functioning.
  • Early-life stress exposure during pregnancy can have lasting effects on cognitive and behavioral development.

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