Poster #154 - Exploring the relational environment as the context for infant motor skill performance

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Perceptual, Sensory, Motor

Integrative Statement

Introduction
Given the importance of early primary relationships, high impact early intervention for infants at-risk for global developmental delays arguably starts with the parent-infant interaction. However, relational frameworks are not evident in all developmental domains. Intervention models for language and cognitive domains are inclusive of the co-emergent social environment between the parent and infant with a clear growth-fostering role for the parent. In contrast, intervention models for gross motor development are largely child-centric with a focus on the physical environment and physical support of the infant. To explore the potential contribution of the relational environment to early gross motor development, we hypothesized that parental social-emotional support of infants during motor performance would augment infant performance over physical support alone. Aim 1: Examine parent-supported infant stepping and social behaviors under conditions where mothers were either responsive or non-responsive. Aim 2: Describe the quality of parental responsiveness when supporting infant motor performance.


Methods
Twelve mother-infant dyads participated. Infants were typically developing, 8-10 months old, and not yet walking. Two contexts were utilized (Figure 1): (1) A teaching activity, to establish a baseline measure of the dyadic interaction using the Parent-Child Interaction Teaching Scale (PCI-TS; Oxford & Findlay, 2013), and (2) a supported motor activity (infant treadmill stepping), within which maternal responsiveness was manipulated and infant motor performance was examined. Fidelity testing confirmed that all mothers conformed to the non-responsive condition. Video data were captured using 4 synchronized cameras and subsequently coded for motor behaviors (step type and frequency), parent child interaction behaviors (PCI-TS), and multi-dimensional maternal responsiveness behaviors, including contingent responsiveness, emotional support, response to infant focus of attention, and quality of language input. Step frequencies were analyzed using RM-ANOVAs. Maternal responsiveness was examined across teaching and motor contexts using Wilcoxin signed rank tests with alpha adjusted to 0.01.


Results
Aim 1: The presence of maternal responsiveness impacted the quantity and quality of infant stepping. Infants took significantly more steps in the presence of maternal responsiveness [F(2,10) = 10.26, p<0.01], accounted for by an increase in alternating (complex) steps [F(2,10) = 27.30, p<0.01]. Infants also had higher clarity of cues and responsive behaviors in the presence of maternal responsiveness during stepping (Z= -2.02, p<0.05; Z= -3.063, p<0.005, respectively). Aim 2: Social-emotional growth fostering by mothers (PCI-TS subscale) increased during responsive motor trials compared to during the PCI-TS teaching activity (Z= -2.32, p<0.05). Mothers’ child-directed contingent responses, positive emotional support, and quality of language input also increased, with positive support (ES) and verbal encouragement (within quality of language input) reaching significance (Z = -2.75, p< 0.005; Z = - 3.059, p< 0.005; Figure 2).

Discussion
When maternal responsiveness was present during parent-supported infant motor activity, infants exhibited complex motor performance that was not observed to the same degree when this maternal support was absent. Additionally, maternal responsiveness supported concurrent infant social interaction, even during the highly constrained activity of infant treadmill stepping. The relational environment may be more relevant to early infant motor performance than existing models suggest.

Authors

• Victoria Moerchen, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  Presenting Author

• Rachel Schiffman, UW-Milwaukee
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jacqueline Westerdahl, UW-Milwaukee
  Non-Presenting Author