Reciprocal influences between maternal language and children's language and cognitive development in low-income families.
We examined reciprocal associations between early maternal language use and children's language and cognitive development in seventy ethnically diverse, low-income families. Mother-child dyads were videotaped when children were aged 2;0 and 3;0. Video transcripts were analyzed for quantity and lexical diversity of maternal and child language. Child cognitive development was assessed at both ages and child receptive vocabulary was assessed at age 3;0. Maternal language related to children's lexical diversity at each age, and maternal language at age 2;0, was associated with children's receptive vocabulary and cognitive development at age 3;0. Furthermore, children's cognitive development at age 2;0 was associated with maternal language at age 3;0 controlling for maternal language at age 2;0, suggesting bi-directionality in mother-child associations. The quantity and diversity of the language children hear at home has developmental implications for children from low-income households. In addition, children's early cognitive skills further feed into their subsequent language experiences.
Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, USA.
Lulu
L
Song
American Institutes for Research, California, USA.
Elizabeth T
ET
Spier
New York University, USA.
Catherine S
CS
Tamis-Lemonda
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007804:Language Development; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011203:Poverty; D014825:Vocabulary; D055815:Young Adult