Maternal input and infants’ response to infant‐directed speech

This prospective longitudinal study examined the relationship between caregiver input to 9-month-old infants and their subsequent language. Mother–infant dyads were videotaped at ages 9, 12, and 30 months. Language comprehension (at 12 and 18 months) was measured by parent report and correlated with an independent language measure. Three maternal style variables were reduced from the 9-month data. Only caregivers' contingent comments (CCC) related to infants' later language. These findings held after infants' skill with coordinated joint attention (CJA) was taken into account. The total number of words the mothers used when their infants were 9 months predicted vocabulary; however, the predictive power was encapsulated in the words the mother used during CCC. Because studies have typically examined maternal input once infants' CJA has emerged, this work contributes to current efforts to understand variations in early language development.

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The Influence of Deviant Maternal Input on the Development of Language during the Preschool Years

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/jshr.2301.222a ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 222-222

Author(s):

Naomi Schiff

Keyword(s):

Maternal Input ◽

Development Of Language

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Characteristics of maternal input to children with Down syndrome: A comparison with vocabulary size and chronological age-matched groups

First Language ◽

10.1177/0142723711410780 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 324-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Laura Zampini ◽

Mirco Fasolo ◽

Laura D’Odorico

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Vocabulary Size ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Maternal Input

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An investigation into maternal use of telegraphic input to children with Down syndrome

Journal of Child Language ◽

10.1017/s0305000919000503 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 225-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emily LORANG ◽

Courtney E. VENKER ◽

Audra STERLING

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Language Development ◽

Child Language ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Lexical Diversity ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Maternal Input ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Future Work

AbstractMaternal input influences language development in children with Down syndrome (DS) and typical development (TD). Telegraphic input, or simplified input violating English grammatical rules, is controversial in speech–language pathology, yet no research to date has investigated whether mothers of children with DS use telegraphic input. This study investigated the quality of linguistic input to children with DS compared to age-matched children with TD, and the relationship between maternal input and child language abilities. Mothers of children with DS simplified their input in multiple ways, by using a lower lexical diversity, shorter utterances, and more telegraphic input compared to mothers of children with TD. Telegraphic input was not significantly correlated with other aspects of maternal input or child language abilities. Since children with DS demonstrate specific deficits in grammatical compared to lexical abilities, future work should investigate the long-term influence of maternal telegraphic input on language development in children with DS.

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