Infants with Negative Emotionality Temperament Characteristics Experience Increased Levels of Caregiver Speech

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Background: While there is limited research on the association between infant temperament and caregiver speech, there is mounting evidence that caregiver speech has an impact on language skills (Hart & Risley, 2003; Prior et al., 2008; Swanson et al., 2019). Understanding the association between caregiver speech and other factors, such as temperament, is important for informing programs designed to increase caregiver speech. Studies examining infant temperament and parental response have had contradictory results, with some studies reporting typically developing infants with negative temperament have parents that are less responsive and other studies reporting the opposite effect of infants with negative temperament having parents that are more responsive (Kasari & Sigman, 1997; Ijzendoorn & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2004; Prior et al., 2008).

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the association between infant temperament and caregiver speech variables in a sample of typically developing infants.

Methods: This study included data from 35 typically developing infants (77% white, 6% African American, and 17% two or more races). The association between negative temperament characteristics and two aspects of caregiver speech were examined. Infant temperament was measured using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised (IBQ-R), a parent-report measure (Garstein & Rothbart, 2002). Caregiver speech variables were generated from home language samples collected using LENA recorders. Caregiver speech variables included adult word count (AWC), i.e., the number of adult words spoken to and near the infant who is wearing the LENA device, and conversation turn count (CTC), i.e., the number of times the infant vocalizes and an adult responds within 5 seconds and vice versa (the adult vocalizes and the infant responds). Data analyses focused on the first available IBQ-R response (range 6 and 14 months) and LENA samples collected at 9 and/or 15 months. Partial correlations between subscales of the IBQ-R and LENA variables were run with covariates to control for age at time of IBQ-R responses.

Results: Significant positive partial correlations were found for AWC at 9 months and fear, r(28)=.518, p=.006 and for CTC at 9 months and distress to limitations, r(28)=.380, p=.050. Significant negative partial correlations were found for AWC at 9 months and smiling/laughter, r(28)=-.435, p=.023 and for CTC at 9 months and falling reactivity, r(28)=-.452, p=.018.

Discussion: Results showed infants who showed more sadness and who smiled and laughed less experienced more caregiver speech. Infants who showed more distress when confined or confronted with unwanted obstacles experienced more conversational turns with their caregivers, while infants who had more difficulty calming down and falling asleep experienced fewer conversational turns with their caregivers. These results indicate infants who have more negative temperament characteristics have caregivers that are more communicative, unless they are difficult to soothe, in which case their caregivers are less communicative. Future studies should investigate whether these results extend to other populations with known atypical temperament patterns, e.g., infants who develop autism spectrum disorder.

Group Authors

The IBIS Network

Authors

• Allison Bradshaw, University of Texas at Dallas
  Presenting Author

• Shalomi Shelton, University of Texas at Dallas
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shruthi Ravi, University of Texas at Dallas
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah Paterson, James S McDonnell Foundation
  Non-Presenting Author

• Stephen Dager, University Of Washington
  Non-Presenting Author

• Annette Mercer Estes, Uniiversity of Washington
  Non-Presenting Author

• Heather Cody Hazlett, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robert Schultz, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, University of Alberta
  Non-Presenting Author

• Joseph Piven, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Meghan Swanson, University of Texas at Dallas
  Non-Presenting Author