Assessing Parent Behaviours in Parent-Child Interactions with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants Aged 0-3 Years: A Systematic Review.

Martina Curtin,Evelien Dirks,Gary Morgan,Lucy Rodgers,Madeline Cruice,Lauren Newman,Rosalind Herman

doi:10.3390/jcm10153345

Abstract

Background: Despite early identification and advancements in cochlear implant and hearing aid technology, delays in language skills in deaf children continue to exist. Good-quality parent–child interaction (PCI) is a key predictor for the successful development of deaf children’s signed and/or spoken language. Though professionals have standard assessments to monitor child language, a clinical tool to observe the quality of parental interaction is yet to be developed. Aims and methods: This systematic review with narrative synthesis aims to uncover which parent behaviours are assessed in PCI studies with deaf infants aged 0–3 years, how these behaviours are assessed, and which are correlated with higher scores in child language. Results: Sixty-one papers were included, spanning 40 years of research. Research included in the review assessed parents’ skills in gaining attention, joint engagement, emotional sensitivity, and language input. PCI was mostly assessed using coding systems and frame-by-frame video analysis. Some of the parent behaviours mentioned previously are associated with more words produced by deaf children. Conclusion: The results of the review provide the evidence base required to develop the content of a future clinical assessment tool for parent–child interaction in deafness.

Highlights

Much research describes the importance of good-quality parent–child interaction for children’s language development [1]
This review condenses 40 years of research to provide us with details on the full range of parent behaviours that are assessed across the field of parent–child interaction (PCI) in deafness and whether these behaviours correlate to higher levels of language in deaf children
This is the first review of its kind to detail the methods used in the assessment of PCI, with a view to develop the content of a future clinical assessment tool for PCI in deafness

Summary

Introduction

Much research describes the importance of good-quality parent–child interaction for children’s language development [1]. Children develop the foundations of language through the ‘serve and return’ of communicative interactions with their caregiver. This happens first through vocal and visual means (exclamations, babbling eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and pointing) and through language use [3]. Parents scaffold this development through prompts and contingent reactions to their child’s behaviours [4]. Good-quality parent–child interaction (PCI) is a key predictor for the successful development of deaf children’s signed and/or spoken language. Conclusion: The results of the review provide the evidence base required to develop the content of a future clinical assessment tool for parent–child interaction in deafness

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion