Poster #56 - Predictors of Change in Language Style Matching: Mother-Child Conflict in the Context of IPV

• In Event: Poster Session 19

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can negatively influence the mother-child relationship, including problems in mothers helping children co-regulate. Contingent behavioral matching supports co-regulation beginning in infancy with mothers’ nonverbal actions and progresses to verbal communication as children age. One component of contingent behavioral matching is language style matching (LSM)—a measure of the similarity between how two individuals use various common function words. Among low-risk samples, LSM is related to increased attachment for children and lower child emotion reactivity. However, dyads where mothers experienced IPV had lower levels of LSM at age 4 than those who did not. It is not known whether LSM changes for better or worse as a result of exposure to IPV as children age. Because mothers have different relationships with sons and daughters generally, and in the context of IPV, we tested differences in LSM change over time in both types of dyads. We hypothesized that IPV would negatively influence LSM over time, with mother-son dyads having lower LSM than mother-daughter dyads.

Participants were 89 boys and 89 girls and their mothers. Two-thirds of the mothers were white and one-third were from other ethnic/racial backgrounds. Women completed annual ratings of IPV from the time the child was 1-year-old until age 7. Number of years of IPV exposure was calculated from ages 1-4 and from 5-7 to align with LSM measurement in a free play interaction when children were ages 4 and 7. Conversations were transcribed and analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count 2015 software (LIWC2015; Pennebaker et al., 2015). Dyadic similarity of linguistic style was calculated using a reliable LSM algorithm (Gonzales et al., 2010). Higher scores indicated greater LSM on nine function word categories.

Hypotheses were tested with latent difference score modelling. First, we examined LSM change from ages 4-7 in mother-daughter and mother-son dyads. There was a significant group difference (2 (5) = 13.88, p < .05), such that on average LSM increased in mother-daughter dyads whereas LSM did not change in mother-son dyads. Second, we examined predictors of change in LSM in mother-daughter dyads. IPV chronicity from ages 1-4 predicted change in LSM, such that more IPV exposure was associated with lesser increases in LSM. IPV chronicity from ages 5-7 predicted changes in LSM, such that more IPV exposure was associated with greater increases in LSM. Children’s receptive language at age 4 was significantly associated with LSM at age 4 but was not significantly associated with changes in LSM. Our hypotheses were partially supported. There was no change in mother-son LSM over time; however, there was change in mother-daughter LSM. For mother-daughter dyads, early in life, LSM was negatively affected by exposure to IPV; however, later in life, exposure to IPV predicted greater LSM. These findings correspond to research that finds IPV has a more significant influence on younger vs. older children. However, as daughters get older, they may be especially sensitive and empathic to their mother’s feelings and experiences and therefore more closely match their mother’s language when IPV is present.

Authors

• G. Anne Bogat, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author

• Amy K. Nuttall, Michigan State University

• Alytia Akiko Levendosky, Michigan State University

• Jewelian N. Fairchild, Michigan State University