Ostensive Cues in Mother-Infant Interaction: Infants With and Without Autistic Disorder

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that infants are sensitive to ostensive cues such as infant-directed speech (IDS) and infant-directed action (IDA). However, effects of mothers' cues during interactions and effects of ostensive cues on infants with autistic disorder are unknown. The present study measured the frequency and types of mothers' cues in 2 semi-structured conditions (play and eating), with 2 stimuli (liked and disliked) presented simultaneously in each condition, and compared 2 mother-infant dyads, one with an infant with autistic disorder and the other with an infant with typical development. The results indicated that ostensive cues were observed more frequently in the play condition than in the eating condition. The mothers used infant-directed actions and infant-directed speech with infants' disliked objects. Different types of cues were used by the mother of the infant with autistic disorder and the mother of the infant who was developing typically, however, the infants' responses to their mothers' cues were similar. It is possible that mothers choose and use cues for directing infants' attention according to characteristics of their infants. By using optimum cues, ostensive cues might help infants with autistic disorder to direct their attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)