Understanding the role and function of maternal touch in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy;2. Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Neuropsychiatry and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy;1. University of Milano – Bicocca, Department of Psychology, Italy;2. Politecnico di Milano, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Italy;3. NeuroMi, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Italy;1. Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy;2. 0-3 Center for the at-Risk Infant, Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy;1. CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal;2. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, United States;3. Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Portugal;1. Department of Psychology, Adelaide University, Australia;2. Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore;3. Duke/NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore;4. LSI Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore |
| |
| Abstract: | 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. |
| |
| Keywords: | Neurodevelopmental disability Maternal touch Mother-child interaction Gaze orientation |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
