Hui-Chin Hsu

Stability and Transitions in Mother-Infant Face-to-Face Communication During the First 6 Months: A Microhistorical Approach

In this study the authors attempted to unravel the relational, dynamical, and historical nature of mother-infant communication during the first 6 months. Thirteen mothers and their infants were videotaped weekly from 4 to 24 weeks during face-to-face interactions. Three distinct patterns of mother-infant communication were identified: symmetrical, asymmetrical, and unilateral. Guided by a dynamic systems perspective, the authors explored the stability of and transitions between these communication patterns. Findings from event history analysis showed that (a) there are regularly recurring dyadic communication patterns in early infancy, (b) these recurring patterns show differential stabilities and likelihoods of transitions, (c) dynamic stability in dyadic communication is shaped not only by individual characteristics (e.g., infant sex and maternal parity) but also by the dyads communication history, and (d) depending on their recency, communication histories varying in temporal proximity exert differential effects on the self-organization processes of a dyadic system.

Infant Vocal Development in a Dynamic Mother-Infant Communication System

This study is an investigation of the development of infant vocalization in a changing and dynamic mother-infant communication system. Thirteen infants and their mothers were observed weekly from 4 to 24 weeks of age in a face-to-face interaction situation. Three patterns of mother-infant communication dynamics were classified: symmetrical (mutual engagement by mother and infant), asymmetrical (mother active while infant inactive), and unilateral (mother active while infant disengaged). Two types of infant nondistress vocalizations were categorized: syllabic (speechlike) and vocalic (nonspeechlike) vocalizations. It was hypothesized that the quantity and quality of infant nondistress vocalizations are associated with the patterns of mother-infant communication and that these associations change developmentally. The results demonstrated that the rates of syllabic and vocalic vocalizations were positively associated with symmetrical communication but negatively associated with unilateral communication. Syll...

Infant non-distress vocalization during mother-infant face-to-face interaction: Factors associated with quantitative and qualitative differences☆

Abstract This study investigated the associations of the quantity and quality of infant nondistress vocalization with maternal and infant social actions (smiling and gazing) during dyadic interaction. Thirteen infants and their mothers were observed weekly in a face-to-face interaction situation from 4 to 24 weeks. Results showed that the quantity (rate per minute) and quality (speech-likeness) of infant nondistress vocalization changed systematically with maternal smiling and gazing as well as with the infants’ own smiling and gazing. Infants produced more speech-like syllabic sounds when their mothers were smiling, when they were looking at their mothers’ faces, and when the infants themselves were smiling. Follow-up analysis revealed that the amount of infant speech-like syllabic sound was highest during Duchenne smiling (cheek-raise smiling), which is thought to be more emotionally positive than non-Duchenne smiling (smiling without cheek-raise). Sequential analysis further indicated that infants were more likely to produce speech-like syllabic sounds, following the onset of their smiling and gazing at mother and their mothers’ smiling as compared to nonspeech-like vocalic sounds. These coordinative associations found within the child and between the dyad suggest that the speech quality of nondistress vocalization may be an index of positivity in dyadic face-to-face interactions during early infancy.

Social Regulatory Effects of Infant Nondistress Vocalization on Maternal Behavior.

This study investigated the social regulatory function of infant nondistress vocalization in modulating maternal response. Thirteen infants and their mothers were observed weekly in a face-to-face interaction situation from 4 to 24 weeks. After the occurrences and the speech quality of infant nondistress vocalization were identified, maternal contingent responses to these vocalizations were also coded. Each responsive action was further classified by the change processes involved. Results showed that it was the occurrence of infant nondistress vocalization rather than its speech quality that regulated maternal verbal response concurrently and that infant nondistress vocalization was more likely to be synchronized with maternal facial expression and touch than with head movements. Developmentally, significant individual differences were found in the linear growth patterns of overall maternal response and within the individual modalities when responding to speechlike vocalizations.

Posture and gaze in early mother-infant communication: Synchronization of developmental trajectories

Weekly laboratory observations of free play for 13 middle-income mother‐infant dyads, from 1 to 6 months of age, were used to study the synchronization of developmental trajectories between infant postural position and gaze direction. Mothers sat in a straight-backed chair while holding infants on their laps and were free to adjust the infant’s posture. Postural position was coded as upright (supported sitting or standing on the mother’s lap) or other (lying, cradling, or being held close to mother). Gaze was coded as either at mother’s face or away. The age of onset of visually guided reaching was also assessed. Results show that there were longer durations of gazing away when the infant was in an upright position. Over the 5 month period of observation, the dyads began with a pattern of non-upright positions accompanied by gaze at mother. Contrary to previous predictions, the developmental shift in the first 6 months from exclusive gazing at mother’s face to gazing away from mother was not synchronized with the development of reaching, but rather with changes in the infant’s posture to more upright positions. The possible role of postural position in fostering positive emotional communication is discussed.

Effects of Normal and Perturbed Social Play on the Duration and Amplitude of Different Types of Infant Smiles.

Different types of smiling varying in amplitude of lip corner retraction were investigated during 2 mother-infant games--peekaboo and tickle--at 6 and 12 months and during normally occurring and perturbed games. Using Facial Action Coding System (FACS), infant smiles were coded as simple (lip corner retraction only), Duchenne (simple plus cheek raising), play (simple plus jaw drop), and duplay (Duchenne plus jaw drop). In addition, again using FACS, the amplitude of lip corner retraction was coded on a 5-point scale. Rather than a single smile expression that differs only in amplitude, the authors found a complex family of different smile expressions differing in their duration and amplitude as a function of game, setup versus climax of the game, and perturbation. Both type of smiling and amplitude of smiling appear to be controlled independently by the infant in relation to the context. These findings reveal systematic and context-specific nuances in infant smiles in the 2nd half of the first year.

Infant vocal development during the first 6 months: speech quality and melodic complexity

The early development of infant non-distress vocalizations was investigated in this study. Thirteen infants, from 4 to 24 weeks of age, and their mothers were observed weekly in a face-to-face interaction situation. The speech quality (syllabic versus vocalic) and melodic complexity (simple versus complex) of infant vocalizations were coded independently. Based on speech quality and melodic complexity, four types of infant non-distress vocalizations were categorized: simple and complex syllabic (speech-like) vocalizations as well as simple and complex vocalic (non-speech-like) vocalizations. Results showed that complex syllabic sounds were of longer duration and complex vocalic sounds were less frequent than the other types of vocalizations. Curvilinear developmental trends were found in the rate of simple vocalic sounds and in the mean duration of complex syllabic sounds. Furthermore, before 4 months of age, vocalic sounds were more likely to be associated with simple melodic contours, after which syllabic sounds were more likely to be associated with complex melodic contours. A dynamic systems perspective on the early development of infant vocalization is discussed. Copyright

Vocal affect in three‐year‐olds: A quantitative acoustic analysis of child laughter

Recordings were obtained of the laughter vocalizations of four 3-year-old children during three sessions of spontaneous free-play between mother and child in a laboratory playroom. Acoustic analysis was used to determine laughter durations, laughter events, F0, and harmonic characteristics, and to suggest a taxonomy of laughter types. Melodic contours were assessed from patterns of F0 change during laughter. Mean duration of laughs ranged from 200 ms to 2.0 s, but events within a laugh were usually about 200-ms duration. Laughs were intuitively classified into four major types, and, following the acoustic analyses, were further defined and classified into types and subtypes of exclamatory and dull comment; chuckle; basic, variable, and classical rhythmical; and squeal. Melodic contours included more rising contours than previously reported for cry, but there was great variability in the types of contours produced especially for rhythmical laughs. The results of the acoustic analyses are discussed in relation to (a) the development of a taxonomy of laughter and (b) different features of the vocal affect characteristics of high-intensity emotion.

Severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and increased risk of feeding desaturation and growth delay in very low birth weight preterm infants.

Oral feeding has been reported to compromise breathing among preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) during hospitalization or shortly after discharge. However, limited information was available concerning whether preterm infants with BPD remain vulnerable to feeding and growth insufficiency after a longer term of follow‐up. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the effect of severity of BPD on pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) during feeding and growth in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants during infancy. Seventy‐two preterm infants with VLBW and 15 term infants were prospectively examined their growth and SpO2 during feeding at 2, 4, and 6u2009months of corrected age. The severity of BPD was graded in VLBW infants according to the American National Institutes of Health consensus definition. In comparison to VLBW infants with mild BPD and term infants, VLBW infants with severe BPD showed significantly lower mean levels of SpO2 during feeding at 2–6u2009months corrected age (Pu2009<u20090.05). Those with severe BPD further exhibited higher rates of growth delay (weightu2009<u200910th percentile) throughout the study period. Among VLBW infants, severe BPD had an adverse relation with subsequent weight measures after adjustment for medical and demographic confounding variables (βu2009=u2009−904 g, Pu2009=u20090.03). The consensus BPD definition is useful to identify those preterm infants who are at greater risk of feeding desaturation and growth delay during infancy and close monitoring of SpO2 during feeding should be advised. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:165–173.

A randomized controlled trial of clinic-based and home-based interventions in comparison with usual care for preterm infants: effects and mediators.

This study examined the effects and mediators of a clinic-based intervention program (CBIP) and a home-based intervention program (HBIP) compared with usual care in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants on developmental and behavioral outcomes at 24 months of age (corrected for prematurity). In this randomized controlled trial, VLBW preterm infants received either CBIP (n=57), HBIP (n=63), or usual care (n=58) from hospitalization to 12 months. At 12 months, infant emotional regulation was assessed using the toy-behind-barrier procedure and dyadic interaction was observed during free play. At 24 months, infant developmental and behavioral outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development- 3rd edition and the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5, respectively. Compared with infants under usual care, the CBIP-group infants showed higher cognitive composite scores (difference, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.4, 0.8-7.9) and a lower rate of motor delay (odds ratio (OR), 95% CI=0.29, 0.08-0.99); the HBIP-group infants had lower sleep problem scores (difference, 95% CI=-1.4, -2.5 to -0.3) and a lower rate of internalizing problems at 24 months (OR, 95% CI=0.51, 0.28-0.93) (all p<.05). The CBIPs effect on cognitive outcome was attenuated when maternal or dyadic interactive behavior was considered; whereas the HBIPs effect on sleep and internalizing behavior was attenuated when duration of orientation to a toy or object was considered. In conclusions, interventions enhanced the cognitive, motor, and behavioral outcomes of VLBW preterm infants. The effects on cognitive and behavioral outcomes might be mediated by early-improved mother-infant interaction and infant emotional regulation, respectively.