Joint attention and exogenous attention allocation during mother-infant interaction at 12 months associate with 24-month vocabulary composition
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Early attentional processes are inherently linked with early parent-infant interactions and play a critical role in shaping cognitive and linguistic development. This study explored how specific early attention mechanisms-namely, exogenous attention allocation and joint attention initiation-during mother-infant interactions at 12 months may influence language development at 24 months. Methods: A sample of 46 typically developing children was observed at 12 months during mother-infant interactions obtained through remote videotaping. Quantitative measures of exogenous attention allocation to external auditory stimuli and joint attention initiation by the infant were obtained through micro-analytical coding. Language outcomes were assessed at 24 months, with a focus on vocabulary composition (i.e., percentage of predicates). Results: Findings showed significant negative associations between early life exogenous attention allocation and later vocabulary composition (i.e., predicate percentage). This association was modulated by joint attention initiation: infants displaying lower levels of joint attention initiation showed a negative association between exogenous attention allocation and language development. Discussion: The findings are suggestive of a complex relationship among different forms of early attention skills and language development in the first 2 years of life.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Funder: Ministero della Salute
Award: G692906228
OpenAlex ID: W4409542726