Caregiver sensitivity supported young children’s vocabulary development during the Covid-19 UK lockdowns

• Published in: Journal of child language Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 1213 - 1229
• Main Authors: MCGILLION, Michelle, DAVIES, Catherine, KONG, Shannon P., HENDRY, Alexandra, GONZALEZ-GOMEZ, Nayeli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Cambridge University Press 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Adult-child interactions; Babies; Behavior; Caregiver Role; Caregivers; Caregivers - psychology; Child Caregivers; Child Development; Child Health; Child Language; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Cognitive Development; Communication Skills; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Depression (Psychology); Developmental Stages; Expressive Language; Families & family life; Family (Sociological Unit); Female; Females; Humans; Infant; Infants; Language acquisition; Language Development; Language Skills; Linguistic Input; Male; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mothers; Native language acquisition; Pandemics; Parent Caregiver Relationship; Rating Scales; Receptive language; SARS-CoV-2; Shelter in place; Social distancing; Social networks; Social support; United Kingdom; Vocabulary; Vocabulary development; Vocabulary learning; Young Children; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; Covid-19; vocabulary; Interaction quality
• ISSN: 0305-0009; 1469-7602; 1469-7602
• DOI: 10.1017/S0305000923000211

Previous studies have shown that caregivers’ sensitive, responsive interactions with young children can boost language development. We explored the association between caregivers’ sensitivity and the vocabulary development of their 8-to-36-month-olds during COVID-19 when family routines were unexpectedly disrupted. Measuring caregivers’ sensitivity from home interaction videos at three timepoints, we found that children who experienced more-sensitive concurrent interactions had higher receptive and expressive vocabularies (N=100). Children whose caregivers showed more-sensitive interactions at the beginning of the pandemic showed greater expressive vocabulary growth six (but not 12) months later (n=58). Significant associations with receptive vocabulary growth were not observed. Our findings highlight the importance of sensitivity at a time when other positive influences on language development were compromised.