Poster #73 - Gesture and Language in Children Enrolled in Early Intervention

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Language development is complex and influenced by several factors including socioeconomic status, parent language input, and gesture (Dimitrova et al., 2015; Lieberman et al., 2019; Rowe & Goldin-Meadow, 2009; Rowe et al., 2008). Gesture is defined as intentional or goal-directed non-verbal movement of a body part (including but not limited to hands, arms, and head) that contains meaning. Gesture use has been studied as an important prelinguistic skill with several important types and functions. Gesture can be categorized as deictic (meaning is dependent on situation), conventional (meaning is consistent and culturally defined), and representational or symbolic (meaning remains consistent and symbolize a referent). Gesture has been found to be linked to and predictive of later language skills in several studies (Cohen & Billard, 2018; Iverson & Goldin-Meadow, 2005; Rowe et al., 2008). Some studies suggest that infant gesture may even influence caregiver responsiveness and language input (Valloton, 2009). Analyzing gesture in the context of language can provide insight into complex interactions and provide implications for language interventions (Choi et al., 2021).

The current study seeks to expand on the literature regarding gesture use and its impact on language development. This study examines mother and child gesture use, mother and child response to gesture, child language, and maternal language supporting behaviors in 93 mother-child dyads participating in an early intervention program. Collected data include: Communication Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (Wetherby & Prizant, 2002), the Preschool Language Scale, Fourth Edition (Zimmerman et al., 2002), the Parent Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (Roggman et al., 2013), and previously collected videos of participant mothers and children playing in their home. Videos are still being coded for parent and child gesture use (Choi et al., 2021; Iverson & Goldin-Meadow, 2005; Manwaring et al., 2019). Once all data are collected, analysis will aim to answer the following question: What family (income), maternal (education, use of gestures, language supporting behaviors) and child (gender, gesture at 24 months) factors are related to child language scores at 36 months?

Multiple regression analysis will be used to determine which of the family and maternal variables are associated with child gesture use at 24 months and which of the family, maternal and child variables assessed at 24 months predict children’s 36-month language scores. Potential mediators (child gesture at 24 months) and moderators (child gender) will also be examined. Consistent with previous literature, we hypothesize that children with higher parental income, education, gesture use, and maternal language supporting behaviors will demonstrate higher gesture frequency at 24 months (Dimitrova & Özçaliskan, 2013; Dimitrova et al., 2015; Rowe & Goldin-Meadow, 2009; Rowe et al., 2008). We also hypothesize that children with higher gesture frequency at 24 months will have higher language scores at 36 months than children with lower gesture frequency (Luke et al., 2017). Preliminary data analyses supports these hypotheses, showing a strong association between child conventional gesture and child language, as well as a strong association between child conventional gesture and maternal language supporting behaviors (n=32).

Authors

• Makenzy Turner, Utah State University
  Presenting Author

• Lisa Boyce, Utah State University