TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding the role and function of maternal touch in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities
AU - Provenzi, Livio
AU - Rosa, Elisa
AU - Visintin, Eleonora
AU - Mascheroni, Eleonora
AU - Guida, Elena
AU - Cavallini, Anna
AU - Montirosso, Rosario
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - During the first years of life, maternal touch can serve different functions including facilitation of child's gaze orientation to faces which is a key precursor for social attention. Although children with neurodevelopmental disability (ND) may have reduced social skills, the role of maternal touch in contributing to gaze orientation to maternal face has not been explored in previous research. In the present study, we investigate the functions of maternal touch in dyads of mothers and children with ND, compared to dyads of children with typical development (TD). Micro-analytic 2-s coding of maternal touch (i.e., affectionate, playful, facilitating, holding, no touch) and children's gaze orientation (i.e., mother-oriented, object-oriented, non-oriented) occurred during 5-minute interactions between mothers and their 12-to-24-month-old ND and TD children. Dyads were paired for children chronological age and sex. Mothers of children with ND used more touch – especially facilitating and holding types –, compared to mothers of TD peers. Children with ND exhibited more non-orientated gaze compared to TD counterparts. Playful touch associated with increased mother-oriented gaze in children with ND, whereas affectionate and holding touch associated with greater mother-oriented gaze in TD children. Findings suggest that specific types of touch support children's attention to social partners.
AB - During the first years of life, maternal touch can serve different functions including facilitation of child's gaze orientation to faces which is a key precursor for social attention. Although children with neurodevelopmental disability (ND) may have reduced social skills, the role of maternal touch in contributing to gaze orientation to maternal face has not been explored in previous research. In the present study, we investigate the functions of maternal touch in dyads of mothers and children with ND, compared to dyads of children with typical development (TD). Micro-analytic 2-s coding of maternal touch (i.e., affectionate, playful, facilitating, holding, no touch) and children's gaze orientation (i.e., mother-oriented, object-oriented, non-oriented) occurred during 5-minute interactions between mothers and their 12-to-24-month-old ND and TD children. Dyads were paired for children chronological age and sex. Mothers of children with ND used more touch – especially facilitating and holding types –, compared to mothers of TD peers. Children with ND exhibited more non-orientated gaze compared to TD counterparts. Playful touch associated with increased mother-oriented gaze in children with ND, whereas affectionate and holding touch associated with greater mother-oriented gaze in TD children. Findings suggest that specific types of touch support children's attention to social partners.
KW - Gaze orientation
KW - Maternal touch
KW - Mother-child interaction
KW - Neurodevelopmental disability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078717022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85078717022&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101420
DO - 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101420
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85078717022
VL - 58
JO - Infant Behavior and Development
JF - Infant Behavior and Development
SN - 0163-6383
M1 - 101420
ER -