Communicative Skills in Early Stages of Development: Temperament and Socioeconomic Status (SES) as Modulating Factors

GAGO GALVAGNO, LUCAS G.; DE GRANDIS, MARÍA C.; CLERICI, GONZALO D.; ELGIER, ANGEL M.

San Francisco

Congreso; Assocation for Psychological Science. 30th Annual Convention.; 2018

Assocation for Psychological Science

The objective of the following study was to evaluate if there were differences in the communicative abilities of infants with respect to their socioeconomic level and their type of temperament in free play sessions. The sample consisted of 44 dyads of mothers and infants from 8 to 13 months (M = 10.64) with and without unsatisfied basic needs, belonging to different areas of Buenos Aires. The socioeconomic level was measured using the scale of INDEC (2001) that collects information from the child´s environment on the type of housing, the type of work and educational level of parents, access to services, culture and technology. The type of temperament was evaluated using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R, Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003). For communication, the scale of (Bakeman & Adamson, 1984) that assesses the frequency and duration of passive and joint coordinated behaviors with people and objects. Interaction behaviors with objects and people were the most frequent, being those of passive and coordinated joint the most atypical due to their complexity. Infants with unsatisfied basic needs presented statistically significant differences respect to the amount and time of coordinated union behaviors with the mothers. Infants with higher levels of surgency presented positive correlation with times of coordinated joint behaviors. No statistically significant differences were found with respect to the other communicative behaviors. It is concluded that the socioeconomic environment and the temperamental style would be influencing the communication behavior of children from the first months of life, emphasizing the importance of early interventions.