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Parental Stress Moderates the Relation between Early Mother-Infant Interactions and Language Development

Undergraduate #385
Discipline: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics
Session: 3
Room: Exhibit Hall A

Marqueline Cenatus - Florida International University
Co-Author(s): Michelle Ramos, Florida International University; Miami, Fl; Bethany Reeb-Sutherland, Florida International University, Miami, Fl



Previous research has established that shared experiences during early mother-infant interactions can significantly influence later language development. Sharing these experiences involves shared gaze, or social monitoring, between the mother and infant. One important factor that may influence the relation between social monitoring and language development is parental stress. The current study investigated the moderating role of self-reported maternal stress on the relation between early mother-infant social monitoring and later language development to test the hypothesis that parental stress and low-quality parent-infant interaction negatively impacts infant language production as early as 12 months of age. Sixty-one healthy 5-month-old infants (M=5.04 months, 31male) and their mothers completed a 2-minute laboratory interaction task during which matching of gaze was measured. Maternal stress was assessed using the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (M=60.75, SD=14.91). Language production was measured using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories at 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Results revealed a significant interaction between social monitoring and total stress, suggesting that high maternal-infant interaction and low-stress results in increased word production at both 18 and 24 months of age, however not at 12 months when language is first emerging. Results suggest that low maternal stress may enhance the ability to socially interact with their infant ultimately increasing language whereas, experiencing high levels of stress, even early in life, may lead to low maternal matching thus negatively affecting later language production. Further research involves understanding the effects of social monitoring and total stress and the role it plays on infant gender and ethnicity in language development. Keywords: matching of social monitoring, total stress, language, word production, gaze.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): This study was supported by a stipend from the FIU Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program to Marqueline Cenatus, Florida International University, Miami, FL

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Bethany Reeb-Sutherland, besuther@fiu.edu, mcena004@fiu.edu

Role: Literature Review Research Question Statistical Analysis Data Analysis Figures Completion of the scholarly paper

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

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