title: Preference for infant-directed speech in preterm infants.
abstract: The current study explores the effects of exposure to maternal voice on infant sucking in preterm infants. Twenty-four preterm infants averaging 35 weeks gestational age were divided randomly into two groups. A contingency between high-amplitude sucking and presentation of maternal voice was instituted for one group while the other group served as a yoked control. No significant differences were observed in sucking of the two groups, but the degree of pitch modulation of the maternal voice predicted an increase in the rate of infant sucking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States.
authors.forename: Samantha C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States.
authors.forename: Laura P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Division of Newborn Medicine, Baystate Children's Hospital, Springfield, MA, United States.
authors.forename: Bhavesh L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, United States. Electronic address: berthier@psych.umass.edu.
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Berthier
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D041361:Pacifiers; D011247:Pregnancy; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D013391:Sucking Behavior; D014831:Voice
keywords: Infant-directed speech; Learning; Maternal speech; Preterm infants