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Journal of Early Childhood Research
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characteristics of mother-infant communicative interaction

relations to the ratings of maternal sensitivity and infant co-operation

Leila Paavola

University of Oulu, Finland

Kaarina Kemppinen

University/University Hospital of Kuopio, Finland

Sari Kunnari

University of Oulu, Finland

Kirsti Kumpulainen

University/University Hospital of Kuopio, Finland

Irma Moilanen

University of Oulu, Finland

Hanna Ebeling

University of Oulu, Finland

The present article reports a study of communicative behaviour among mothers and infants who were grouped according to the ratings of sensitivity and co-operation, respectively. The participants were 27 Finnish-speaking mothers and their 10-month-old first-born infants (13 boys and 14 girls). The study is descriptive by nature, and the data were therefore treated in terms of descriptive parameters. According to the results, maternal sensitivity was associated with general activity in communication as well as the frequency of responses, while infant co-operation was associated with the frequency of intentional communicative acts. As for more detailed aspects of communicative style, for example, the use of different kinds of communicative means, only some slight associations were found between them and the ratings of sensitivity and co-operation. The dyadic nature of maternal sensitivity is emphasized in interpreting the findings.

Key Words: child-directed speech • communicative means • infant co-operation • intentional communication • maternal sensitivity • verbal responsiveness

Journal of Early Childhood Research, Vol. 4, No. 3, 203-222 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1476718X06067576
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