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Caregiver-infant interactions in infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism in India

Malavi Srikar1, Shoba S Meera1, Reny Raju1

  • 1Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.

Infant Behavior & Development
|April 16, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Infants at elevated likelihood for autism (EL-A) in India showed less sensitive caregiver responsiveness and psychological stimulation compared to typical likelihood (TL) infants. These findings highlight the need for early interventions in South Asian families.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cross-Cultural Psychology
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

  • Prospective studies indicate differences in caregiver-infant interactions (CII) between infants with elevated likelihood for autism (EL-A) and typical likelihood (TL) infants.
  • These interactional differences emerge before the first birthday and can influence social-communicative development.
  • Previous research on CII has primarily focused on Western populations, overlooking cultural variations in parenting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cultural variability in CII by comparing EL-A and TL infants in India.
  • To determine if global features of CII differ between EL-A and TL infants in a South Asian context.
  • To assess the association between CII and parent-reported infant play and leisure activities.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 33 EL-A and 15 TL infants aged 9-15 months in India.
  • Caregiver-infant free-play interactions were video-recorded and rated using the Manchester Assessment of Caregiver-Child Interaction-Infant (MACI).
  • Age-controlled analyses were performed to compare CII features between the EL-A and TL groups.

Main Results:

  • EL-A infants exhibited significantly lower sensitive responsiveness and psychological stimulation compared to TL infants.
  • No significant differences were observed in caregiver directiveness or infant/dyadic MACI scores between the groups.
  • Caregiver sensitive responsiveness and psychological stimulation positively correlated with parent-reported infant play and leisure, supporting ecological validity.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first evidence from a South Asian context, partially replicating previous findings on CII differences in EL-A infants.
  • Early, pre-emptive interventions targeting caregiver-infant interaction are recommended for Indian families.
  • Enhancing responsive and stimulating social interactions is crucial for supporting early development in at-risk infants.

Keywords:
ASDCaregiver responsivenessCaregiver sensitivityInfant siblingsParent-child interactionSocial development

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