Toddler language and play in the second year: stability, covariation and influences of parenting

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a prospective longitudinal study of the development of representation and communication in toddlers from middle-class Caucasian families. Toddler language and play were assessed independently at 13 and 20 months. These two abilities covaried at 13, but not at 20 months. Toddlers showed individual stability in language from 13 to 20 months, but not in play. Two domains of parent-child interactions were also evaluated in separate mother-toddler and father-toddler observations at 13 months. The two domains included social interactions (verbal and non-verbal affectively-oriented, dyadic communications) and didactic interactions (verbal and non-verbal encouragement of attention to extradyadic properties, objects, and events in the environment). Mothers and fathers behaved similarly, and the two domains were independent. Mothers' and fathers' interactions covaried with specific toddler abilities at 13 months, but neither parent nor interaction domain uniquely or consistently predicted toddlers' abilities from 13 to 20 months.