Exploring parental behavior and child interactive engagement : a study on children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay

Background and aims: Parenting factors are one of the most striking gaps in the current scientific literature on the development of young children with significant cognitive and motor disabilities. We aim to explore the characteristics of, and the association between, parental behavior and children's interactive engagement within this target group. Methods and procedures: Twenty-five parent-child dyads (with children aged 6-59 months) were video-taped during a 15-min unstructured play situation. Parents were also asked to complete the Parental Behavior Scale for toddlers. The video-taped observations were scored using the Child and Maternal Behavior Rating Scales. Outcomes and results: Low levels of parental discipline and child initiation were found. Parental responsivity was positively related to child attention and initiation. Conclusions and implications: Compared to children with no or other levels of disabilities, this target group exhibits large differences in frequency levels and, to a lesser extent, the concrete operationalization of parenting domains Further, this study confirms the importance of sensitive responsivity as the primary variable in parenting research

In search of a novel way to analyze early communicative behavior

The aim of this study was to develop a coding scheme that enables researchers and practitioners to conduct a detailed analysis of the communicative behavior of young children with significant cognitive and motor developmental delays. Currently, there is a paucity of methods to do conduct such an analysis. For the study, video observations of three different scenarios from 38 children with significant cognitive and motor developmental delays aged between 12 and 54 months, were used. Findings from the video observations served as the primary means for development of the coding scheme, which comprises three main categories – context, partner behavior, and individual behavior – and several subcategories. The coding scheme was used to document the early expressive communicative behavior of persons with significant cognitive and motor developmental delays in a detailed manner. This fine-grained information is necessary to differentiate children based on their communicative abilities, to monitor their communicative development longitudinally, and to inform person-centered communicative interventions

Contextual factors influencing the developmental characteristics of young children with severe to profound intellectual disability: A critical review

Background: In typical development, primarily contextual factors at the family level are clearly associated with child developmental outcomes. In contrast, knowledge about the contextual factors influencing the developmental characteristics of children (0–12 years) with severe to profound intellectual disability is scarce. Method: Through computerised searches of 4 bibliographic databases, 54 studies were identified. Results: The included studies were characterised by the use of small study populations and nonvalidated research instruments, as well as by strong research designs and detailed reporting of individual results. The majority of the studies evaluated procedures based on behaviourist learning theory, mostly aimed at reducing nonadaptive behaviour or stimulating choice behaviour. The studied factors proved to be generally effective. Conclusions: Family and parenting factors are one of the most striking gaps in the current literature about the development of children with intellectual disability. Also, further research on long-term developmental changes and bidirectional influences is necessary.status: publishe

Parent-child interaction in young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay: a macro- and micro-level approach

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Gezinsinteractiepatronen bij jonge kinderen met ernstige meervoudige beperkingen

Onderzoek naar de ontwikkeling van personen met Ernstige Meervoudige Beperkingen (EMB) is schaars, zeker wanneer het om jonge kinderen gaat. Het OJKO-project (Ontwikkeling van Jonge Kinderen met een grote Ontwikkelingsvertraging, www.ojko.be) wilt hier verandering in brengen. Het algemene doel van het project is de ontwikkeling van deze kinderen opvolgen op verschillende domeinen van hun functioneren, waarbij ook de invloed van contextvariabelen op hun ontwikkelingstrajecten wordt nagegaan. In kader van dit project werd een internationale samenwerking opgezet tussen de KU Leuven (onder leiding van Professor Bea Maes) en de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (onder leiding van Professor Annette van der Putten). Verschillende doctorandi en masterstudenten werken aan dit project, waaronder Ines Van keer. Zij deed de voorbije jaren onderzoek naar de (invloed van de) gezinscontext in deze doelgroep, met een specifieke focus op enerzijds ouder-kind interacties en anderzijds gezinsactiviteiten.status: publishe

Gezinsactiviteiten en kindbetrokkenheid: een studie naar kinderen met een grote verstandelijke en motorische ontwikkelingsachterstand

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Investeren in ouderkindinteracties bij ernstig meervoudige beperkingen loont

In het kader van een doctoraatsonderzoek zijn ouders gefilmd tijdens een interactie met hun jonge kinderen tot vier jaar met een grote verstandelijke en motorische ontwikkelingsstoornis. Het onderzoek toont aan dat deze kinderen gebaat zijn bij stimulerend contact met de ouders, maar ook dat daarbij sprake kan zijn van remmende factoren. Opvallend in dit verband is dat ouders van kinderen die minder initiatief nemen eerder lijken te kiezen voor een interactiestijl gericht op sociaal contact dan op ontwikkeling.status: publishe

Exploring family activities and child engagement: A study on children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay

Background Everyday activities are an important setting for stimulating child functioning, but are understudied in young children with a significant cognitive and motor developmental delay. Therefore, we aim to characterize their family activities in terms of diversity, frequency, child engagement and family member's presence, compared to typically developing children. Methods By asking a parent to fill out an adapted version of the Child Participation in Family Activities questionnaire, the activity pattern of 49 children within the study group and 45 children within the control group were assessed and compared. Results Children in the study group generally experience less diverse activities (with an additional lower frequency of out‐of‐home activities) and show lower engagement levels compared to typically developing children. Conclusions Incorporating high levels of personal interaction, highly stimulating activities and adapted leisure activities into the daily activity pattern of children with multiple disabilities might be a pathway to increased engagement levels.status: Published onlin