Spatial language development in preterm and full-term infants: The role of object exploration and parents’ spatial input
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, cilt.256, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 256
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106264
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, PASCAL, BIOSIS, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Communication Abstracts, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Object exploration, Parental input, Preterm infants, Spatial language
- Maltepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Infants learn object features and relations among objects by exploring them. Object exploration and parents’ verbal input related to these spatial characteristics may lead to cascades for the development of spatial language. This longitudinal study examined whether infant object exploration and parents’ spatial input at Time 1 (Mage = 13.7 months) predicted spatial language of preterm infants (mean gestational age = 30 weeks) and full-term infants (mean gestational age = 38.9 weeks) at Time 2 (Mage = 26 months). The object exploration and parents’ spatial input at Time 1 were coded from the semi-structured free play sessions, and infant spatial language was assessed via a parental report at Time 2. Our results showed no differences between preterm and full-term groups on object exploration. However, parents’ spatial input differed based on neonatal condition, in which preterm infants received less input than full-term infants. Parents’ spatial input co-occurred with 44% of the object exploration events, with a significant difference between groups (preterm: M = 36.1%; full-term: M = 52.1%). Importantly, the interaction between object exploration and parents’ spatial input at Time 1 predicted children's spatial language knowledge at Time 2 regardless of children's neonatal status. Infants who explored objects for longer periods and received greater spatial input from their parents at Time 1 knew more spatial words at Time 2 than infants who explored objects less and received less input at Time 1. These findings suggest that early object exploration and parents’ spatial input together can lead to a cascading effect on later spatial language development for both preterm and full-term infants.