The role of infant attention and parental sensitivity in infant cognitive development in the Netherlands and China

W. Li; R.T. Devine; A. Ribner; R.A.G. Emmen; M.-L.J. Woudstra; M.C.E. Branger; L. Wang; J. van Ginkel; L.R.A. Alink; J. Mesman

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105324

The role of infant attention and parental sensitivity in infant cognitive development in the Netherlands and China

W. Li, R.T. Devine, A. Ribner, R.A.G. Emmen, M.-L.J. Woudstra, M.C.E. Branger, L. Wang, J. van Ginkel, L.R.A. Alink, J. Mesman

Psychology

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Abstract

Infant attention and parental sensitivity are important predictors of later child executive function (EF). However, most studies have investigated infant and parent factors in relation to child EF separately and included only mothers from Western samples. The current study examined whether both infant attention at 4 months and parental sensitivity at 4 and 14 months were related to infant EF (i.e., inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) at 14 months among 124 Dutch and 63 Chinese first-time mothers and fathers and their infants. Findings revealed that parental sensitivity at 4 months was not correlated with infant EF abilities at 14 months. However, infant attention at 4 months was significantly related to 14-month working memory, but not to inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Maternal sensitivity at 14 months was significantly related to 14-month inhibition, but not to working memory and cognitive flexibility. No country differences were found in the relation among 4-month infant attention, parental sensitivity, and EF outcomes. Results show that both infant and parent factors are associated with early EF development and that these correlates of early EF skills may be similar in Western and non-Western samples.

Original language	English
Article number	105324
Journal	Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
Volume	215
Early online date	9 Dec 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105324
Publication status	Published - Mar 2022

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgments
This work is part of the research program ‘‘Origins of early individual differences in self-regulation: A multi-method study involving mothers, fathers and infants in the UK, the Netherlands and the US” with Project No. 464-13-141, which is partly financed by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC) is gratefully acknowledged.

Keywords

Cross-country
Infant Executive Function
Infant attention
Longitudinal study
Maternal and paternal sensitivity
Western and Chinese samples

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105324Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

LiW2022roleFinal published version, 375 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

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Cite this

Li, W., Devine, R. T., Ribner, A., Emmen, R. A. G., Woudstra, M.-LJ., Branger, M. C. E., Wang, L., van Ginkel, J., Alink, L. R. A., & Mesman, J. (2022). The role of infant attention and parental sensitivity in infant cognitive development in the Netherlands and China. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 215, Article 105324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105324

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abstract = "Infant attention and parental sensitivity are important predictors of later child executive function (EF). However, most studies have investigated infant and parent factors in relation to child EF separately and included only mothers from Western samples. The current study examined whether both infant attention at 4 months and parental sensitivity at 4 and 14 months were related to infant EF (i.e., inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) at 14 months among 124 Dutch and 63 Chinese first-time mothers and fathers and their infants. Findings revealed that parental sensitivity at 4 months was not correlated with infant EF abilities at 14 months. However, infant attention at 4 months was significantly related to 14-month working memory, but not to inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Maternal sensitivity at 14 months was significantly related to 14-month inhibition, but not to working memory and cognitive flexibility. No country differences were found in the relation among 4-month infant attention, parental sensitivity, and EF outcomes. Results show that both infant and parent factors are associated with early EF development and that these correlates of early EF skills may be similar in Western and non-Western samples.",

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The role of infant attention and parental sensitivity in infant cognitive development in the Netherlands and China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Mind-mindedness in new mothers and fathers: stability and discontinuity from pregnancy to toddlerhood

Mothers’ and fathers’ executive function both predict emergent executive function in toddlerhood

Parental well-being, couple relationship quality, and children's behavioral problems in the first 2 years of life

Understanding the terrible twos: a longitudinal investigation of the impact of early executive function and parent-child interactions

Cite this