A Micro-Level Investigation of Parent-Child Interaction and Social Communication Development Following Full-Term and Preterm Birth

Abstract

Preterm birth is a risk factor for poorer social-cognitive and language development, yet there is wide within-group variation. From the bioecological (Barra & Coo, 2023) and transactional perspectives (Sameroff, 2009), this thesis investigates how preterm birth may shape Joint Attention (JA) and language development and explores JA as a potential mechanism for language development via a micro-level investigation of parent-child interaction and standardised assessments. The thesis has four empirical studies. The first study showed that term- born toddlers' JA interactions were similar with mothers and fathers at age two. Father-followed JA episodes (initiating JA by following the child's attention) and paternal education predicted term-born toddlers' expressive language skills at age three. The second study indicated that preterm toddlers disengaged from JA more often and engaged in a higher number of discrete supported JA episodes relative to full-term toddlers at age two. Also, they missed their parents' bids for JA more often, especially in interactions with their fathers. The third study showed that both lower neonatal risk and higher coordinated JA with mothers and fathers (separately) predicted better language outcomes of preterm toddlers at two to four years. The fourth study demonstrated that fathers, but not mothers, of preterm, but not full-term, toddlers who had lower cognitive and expressive language skills used more intrusive directives in interactions, even though no significant differences were found in parental directives regarding parent gender and the child's birth status. These results suggested differential associations between parent-child interaction and developmental outcomes following full-term and preterm birth in the early years. Also, the results indicated bidirectional influences of parent and child behaviours in interaction, especially in the context of preterm birth. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications and suggestions are provided for future studies.