Semantic Contingency of Maternal Verbal Input Directed at Very Preterm and Full-Term Children

Several studies have testified to the importance of a responsive linguistic input for children's language acquisition and development. In particular, maternal use of expansions, imitations, interpretations, and labels has been shown to promote both children's language comprehension and production. From this perspective, the present study examined the semantically contingent linguistic input addressed to very preterm children's comparing it to that directed to full-term children observed during a semi-structured play session when the children were 24 months of age. The relationships between maternal contingent utterances and children's communicative repertoires were also investigated. The main results showed that mothers of full-term children produced a higher proportion of semantically contingent utterances than those of very preterm children; moreover, this variable was associated with children's more advanced communicative-linguistic outcomes. Overall, this study supports the interdependence between mothers' use of certain linguistic strategies and children's communicative-linguistic repertoire, extending this evidence to children born very preterm and suggesting the importance of considering the semantic contingency aspect of child-directed speech to support the communicative and linguistic development of these children

Singing to infants matters: early singing interactions affect musical preferences and facilitate vocabulary building

This research revealed that the frequency of reported infant-parent singing interactions predicted 6-month-old infants' performance in laboratory music experiments and mediated their language development in the second year. At 6 months, infants (n=36) were tested using a preferential listening procedure assessing their sustained attention to instrumental and sung versions of the same novel tunes whilst the parents completed an ad-hoc questionnaire assessing home musical interactions with their infants. Language development was assessed with a follow-up when the infants were 14-month-old (n=26). The main results showed that 6-month-olds preferred listening to sung rather than instrumental melodies, and that self-reported high levels of parental singing with their infants[i] were associated with less pronounced preference for the sung over the instrumental version of the tunes at 6 months, and [ii] predicted significant advantages on the language outcomes in the second year. The results are interpreted in relation to conceptions of developmental plasticity

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Integrating gestures and words to communicate in full-term and low-risk preterm late talkers

Young children use gestures to practice communicative functions that foster their receptive and expressive linguistic skills. Studies investigating the use of gestures by late talkers are limited. This study aimed to investigate the use of gestures and gesture–word combinations and their associations with word comprehension and word and sentence production in late talkers. A further purpose was to examine whether a set of individual and environmental factors accounted for interindividual differences in late talkers’ gesture and gesture–word production. Sixty-one late talkers, including 35 full-term and 26 low-risk preterm children, participated in the study. Parents filled out the Italian short forms of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB–CDI), “Gesture and Words” and “Words and Sentences” when their children were 30-months-old, and they were then invited to participate in a book-sharing session with their child. Children’s gestures and words produced during the book-sharing session were transcribed and coded into CHAT of CHILDES and analyzed with CLAN. Types of spontaneous gestures (pointing and representational gestures) and gesture–word combinations (complementary, equivalent, and supplementary) were coded. Measures of word tokens and MLU were also computed. Correlational analyses documented that children’s use of gesture–word combinations, particularly complementary and supplementary forms, in the book-sharing session was positively associated with linguistic skills both observed during the session (word tokens and MLU) and reported by parents (word comprehension, word production, and sentence production at the MB–CDI). Concerning individual factors, male gender was negatively associated with gesture and gesture–word use, as well as with MB–CDI action/gesture production. In contrast, having a low-risk preterm condition and being later-born were positively associated with the use of gestures and pointing gestures, and having a family history of language and/or learning disorders was positively associated with the use of representational gestures. Furthermore, a low-risk preterm status and a higher cognitive score were positively associated with gesture–word combinations, particularly complementary and supplementary types. With regard to environmental factors, older parental age was negatively associated with late talkers’ use of gestures and pointing gestures. Interindividual differences in late talkers’ gesture and gesture–word production were thus related to several intertwined individual and environmental factors. Among late talkers, use of gestures and gesture–word combinations represents a point of strength promoting receptive and expressive language acquisition

Mind‐mindedness and parenting stress in mothers of preterm and full‐term infants: The moderating role of perceived social support

The goal of this study was to examine the effects of preterm birth and maternal childbirth‐related posttraumatic stress and parenting stress on maternal mind‐mindedness (MM). The study also investigated the effects of perceived social support on parenting stress and MM. Sixty‐five preterm (N = 32) and full‐term (N = 33) mother–infant dyads were observed at 6 months. Measures of maternal MM were obtained from observations of mother–infant interaction. Mothers also provided ratings of their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, parenting stress, and perceived social support via an online survey. Experiencing a preterm birth did not affect mothers’ use of mental state descriptors during mother–infant interaction. Neither childbirth‐related posttraumatic stress nor parenting stress directly affected maternal ability to comment on the child's mental states appropriately. However, at medium and high levels of perceived social support, a negative association between parenting stress and MM was observed. Maternal perception of being emotionally supported by significant others promoted MM in mothers showing low or mild levels of parenting stress, but not in mothers experiencing high stress in parenting their infants. Results suggest that a proclivity to MM might be affected by the interaction between parenting stress and social support, rather than by childbirth‐related variables, such as prematurity

US DOE-EM On-Site Disposal Cell Working Group - Fostering Communication On Performance Assessment Challenges

On-site disposal cells are in use and being considered at several U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) sites as the final disposition for large amounts of waste associated with cleanup of contaminated areas and facilities. These facilities are typically developed with regulatory oversight from States and/or the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in addition to USDOE. The facilities are developed to meet design standards for disposal of hazardous waste as well as the USDOE performance based standards for disposal of radioactive waste. The involvement of multiple and different regulators for facilities across separate sites has resulted in some differences in expectations for performance assessments and risk assessments (PA/RA) that are developed for the disposal facilities. The USDOE-EM Office of Site Restoration formed a working group to foster improved communication and sharing of information for personnel associated with these Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) disposal cells and work towards more consistent assumptions, as appropriate, for technical and policy considerations related to performance and risk assessments in support of a Record of Decision and Disposal Authorization Statement. The working group holds teleconferences, as needed, focusing on specific topics of interest. The topics addressed to date include an assessment of the assumptions used for performance assessments and risk assessments (PA/RAs) for on-site disposal cells, requirements and assumptions related to assessment of inadvertent intrusion, DOE Manual 435.1-1 requirements, and approaches for consideration of the long-term performance of liners and covers in the context of PAs. The working group has improved communication among the staff and oversight personnel responsible for onsite disposal cells and has provided a forum to identify and resolve common concerns

Describing communication profiles of low-risk preterm and full-term late talkers

Introduction: Late talkers represent a heterogeneous population. We aimed to describe communication profiles of low-risk preterm and full-term late talkers according to their receptive and expressive vocabulary size, considering communicative, linguistic, cognitive, and motor skills, as well as biological and environmental risk factors. Methods: Sixty-eight late talkers (33 born low-risk preterm and 35 full-term) were identified through a language screening at 30 months. Parents filled out the Italian Short Forms of the MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories and the Socio Conversational Skills Rating Scales. Children were assessed with the Picture Naming Game test and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Results: A two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct profiles among late talkers according to their receptive and expressive vocabulary size. Severe late talkers (25%) showed less frequent use of pointing, limited verbal imitation, receptive vocabulary size, lexical and sentence production, responsiveness and assertiveness, and lower cognitive scores than mild late talkers (40%). Moderate late talkers (35%) showed less frequent verbal imitation, limited lexical and sentence production and lower cognitive scores than mild late talkers. Male gender was significantly more represented in the severe late profile, whereas other biological and environmental factors did not differ among the three profiles. Conclusions: Findings highlighted the relevance of assessing communicative, lexical, grammar, pragmatic, and cognitive skills to describe late talkers’ profiles. A deeper investigation of phonological skills might also contribute to a further understanding of interindividual variability in this population

Ambivalent stereotypes link to peace, conflict, and inequality across 38 nations

A cross-national study, 49 samples in 38 nations (n = 4,344), investigates whether national peace and conflict reflect ambivalent warmth and competence stereotypes: High-conflict societies (Pakistan) may need clearcut, unambivalent group images distinguishing friends from foes. Highly peaceful countries (Denmark) also may need less ambivalence because most groups occupy the shared national identity, with only a few outcasts. Finally, nations with intermediate conflict (United States) may need ambivalence to justify more complex intergroup-system stability. Using the Global Peace Index to measure conflict, a curvilinear (quadratic) relationship between ambivalence and conflict highlights how both extremely peaceful and extremely conflictual countries display lower stereotype ambivalence, whereas countries intermediate on peace-conflict present higher ambivalence. These data also replicated a linear inequality-ambivalence relationship.Peer reviewe

Comparative Evaluation of Parental Stress Experiences Up to 2 to 3 Years After Preterm and Term Birth

Background Parenting stress after preterm birth (PTB) has negative long-term effects on parenting. Research about parental experiences after PTB and on parenting stress in early childhood has focused on mothers. Purpose To compare parenting stress between mothers and fathers 2 to 3 years after PTB and full-term birth (FTB) and to explore their memories about their stress experience, especially after PTB. Methods Fifty-four mothers and fathers in Switzerland whose children were PTB and 65 parents of FTB completed the Parenting Stress Index 2 to 3 years after birth. We compared scores between PTB and FTB and between mothers and fathers. A random subset of parents took part in semistructured interviews that began with photo-elicitation. We analyzed the data thematically. We cross-validated and corroborated qualitative and quantitative findings about parenting stress 2 to 3 years after birth. Results Preterm birth is stressful for parents who cannot take a child’s health for granted, but stress experiences after FTB and PTB equalize within 2 to 3 years. Mothers were the primary caregivers and suffered more stress than fathers. For parents with PTB, positive communications from healthcare workers strengthened parental coping in neonatal intensive care unit and after discharge, but parents perceived discharges as early and inconsistent. Implications for Practice and Research: Interventions and new models of care improving communication with healthcare professionals, involving parents in infant care as early as possible, increasing staff support to help parents cope better, and optimizing the management of discharge need to be implemented into practice. Their impact on parenting stress on the long term needs to be investigated

Cementitious Barriers Partnership (CBP): Training and Release of CBP Toolbox Software, Version 1.0 -13480

ABSTRACT The Cementitious Barriers Partnership (CBP) Project is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional collaboration supported by the Office of Tank Waste Management within the Office of Environmental Management of U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE). The CBP program has developed a set of integrated tools (based on state-of-the-art models and leaching test methods) that improve understanding and predictions of the long-term hydraulic and chemical performance of cementitious barriers used in nuclear applications. Tools selected for and developed under this program are intended to evaluate and predict the behavior of cementitious barriers used in near-surface engineered waste disposal systems for periods of performance up to or longer than 100 years for operating facilities and longer than 1,000 years for waste management purposes. CBP software tools were made available to selected DOE Office of Environmental Management and field site users for training and evaluation based on a set of important degradation scenarios, including sulfate ingress/attack and carbonation of cementitious materials. The tools were presented at two-day training workshops held at U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Savannah River, and Hanford included LeachXS™/ORCHESTRA, STADIUM®, and a CBP-developed GoldSim Dashboard interface. Collectively, these components form the CBP Software ToolBox. The new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency leaching test methods based on the Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) were also presented. The CBP Dashboard uses a custom Dynamic-link library developed by CBP to couple to the LeachXS™/ORCHESTRA and STADIUM® codes to simulate reactive transport and degradation in cementitious materials for selected performance assessment scenarios. The first day of the workshop introduced participants to the software components via presentation materials, and the second day included hands-on tutorial exercises followed by discussions of enhancements desired by participants. Tools were revised based on feedbac