Play, language, and maternal responsiveness: a longitudinal study of deaf and hearing infants.
Language, maternal responsiveness, and developmental play levels were investigated in 43 middle-class dyads at 9, 12, and 18 months: hearing child/hearing mother (hH), deaf child/deaf mother (dD), deaf child/hearing mother (dH). Group dH provides information about play when language is delayed and maternal responsiveness decreased. Group dD provides information on developmental effects of diminished audition. There were no 9-month group play differences. At 12 months, hH infants displayed more representational play than infants in either deaf group (p < .001). At 18 months, hH and dD children displayed more preplanned play than dH children (p = .01). At 12 and 18 months, language was associated only marginally with play levels. Maternal responsiveness was significantly associated with 18-month-olds' preplanned play (p = .01).
Spencer
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Social Work Department, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA. psspencer@gallua.gallaudet.edu
Meadow-Orlans
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D000328:Adult; D002663:Child Language; D003638:Deafness; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010988:Play and Playthings; D014743:Videotape Recording