Mapping early environment using communication deviance: A longitudinal study of maternal sensitivity towards 6-month-old children

The current study explored the association between communication deviance (CD) in a cohort of mothers (n= 287) at 32 weeks gestation and maternal sensitivity (MS) to the infant’s cues during playful interaction at 6 months into the post-natal period. CD during the antenatal period was a significant predictor of lower MS during play (B= -0.385; p< .001). The relationship remained significant when maternal age, IQ and index of multiple deprivation (IMD) were accounted for. Further analyses revealed that CD was a significant predictor of MS in the context of infant distress (B= -0.514; p< .001) but less so in the context of non-distress (B= -0.311; p< .01). Results suggest that CD may index a complex cross-modal process affecting mother-child interactions.