Journal article
Spatial language development in preterm and full-term infants: The role of object exploration and parents’ spatial input
Journal of experimental child psychology, Vol.256, 106264
08/2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106264
PMID: 40252637
Abstract
•Investigating the relation among object exploration, parents’ spatial input, and spatial language development in preterm and full-term infants.•Preterm and full-term groups were similar in object exploration. However, parents used more spatial input with full-term than preterm infants.•Parents’ spatial input co-occurred with 44% of the object exploration events, which was lower for preterm (M = 36.1%) than full-term (M = 52.1%) infants.•The interaction between object exploration and parents’ spatial input at Time 1 (Mage = 13.7 months) predicted spatial language at Time 2 (Mage = 26 months), regardless of the neonatal condition.•Both preterm and full-term children who explored objects longer and received more spatial input at Time 1, knew more spatial words at Time 2.•This interaction may lead to a cascading effect on spatial language development, regardless of neonatal condition.
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.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Spatial language development in preterm and full-term infants: The role of object exploration and parents’ spatial input
- Creators
- Mert Kobaş - Koç UniversityÖ.Ece Demir-Lira - University of Iowaİpek Akman - Maltepe UniversityTilbe Göksun - Koç University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental child psychology, Vol.256, 106264
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106264
- PMID
- 40252637
- NLM abbreviation
- J Exp Child Psychol
- ISSN
- 0022-0965
- eISSN
- 1096-0457
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc; NEW YORK
- Grant note
- James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Award: 220020510
This work was supported by the James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Award (220020510) to Tilbe Goksun. We thank everyone at the Language and Cognition Lab at Koc University for their invaluable contributions to this project. We acknowledge and appreciate Asli Aktan-Erciyes' support for this study. Special thanks go to the Metin Sabanci Healthcare Center for Family Counseling for the institutional support; Nihan Hande Akcakaya, Banu Bingol, and Rahime Gokbog. a from Cerebral Palsy Turkey for their support for the project; and the El Bebek Gul Bebek Foundation for Premature Birth and Gymboree Classes for helping us to reach out to the families. Special thanks also go to Elif Erkekli, Erim Kizildere, Gulfem Sari, Isil Dogan, Ilayda Deringor, Ilke Uysal, Ipek Bahar Ungan, Mahmut Kurupinar, Merve Duran, Nurgul Arslan, Ozge Eser, and Rengim Lal Kilavuz who assisted with data collection, transcription coding, and reliability. We are grateful to the children and parents who participated in the study.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 04/18/2025
- Date published
- 08/2025
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Center for Social Science Innovation
- Record Identifier
- 9984810949502771
Metrics
8 Record Views