The effects of play education on infants and parents
Date
2024
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Parents play an active role in infants’ development and can influence outcomes in multiple domains including the areas of motor, language, and cognitive development (Alper et al., 2021; Thelen, 2005; Thelen & Smith, 1994). Therefore, it is critical to understand early education about play and development, including the availability and quality of information shared in popular sources, and to determine whether or how parent education changes child outcomes (i.e., developmental scores) and parental characteristics (i.e., physical and social setting, customs, parent psychology). The first aim of this dissertation was to systematically evaluate the content and quality of information shared with parents through popular sources. The second aim of this dissertation was to comparatively evaluate the effect of two different parent education programs on children’s motor, cognitive, and language development. Parents in both study groups received education about play activities they could engage in with their infants and were asked to perform these activities daily for at least 15 minutes with their infants for 4 weeks. One group received usual play education (UPE); these activities were commonly suggested by popular sources parents would encounter when looking for information about development and play. The second group received enhanced play education (EPE); these activities were rarely suggested by popular sources and included enhanced activities with key ingredients shown by developmental science and early intervention literature to advance development– child-initiated movement across different positions to promote motor development (Babik et al., 2022; Harbourne et al., 2021; Lobo & Galloway, 2012; Rachwani et al., 2015), physical interaction with objects to promote cognition (Harbourne et al., 2021; Lobo & Galloway, 2008; Muentener et al., 2018; Needham et al., 2002; Zuccarini et al., 2017), and quality communication interactions to promote language development (Attig & Weinert, 2020; Glascoe & Leew, 2010; McGillion et al., 2017; Ramirez et al., 2020; Ramirez-Esparza et al., 2017). The third aim of this dissertation was to comparatively evaluate the effect of the two parent education programs on parental characteristics, as described through the developmental niche framework (Super & Harkness, 1986; Super & Harkness, 1996), including physical and social setting, customs, and parent psychology. The fourth aim of this dissertation was to conduct a pilot feasibility study altering the inclusion criteria for Aims 2 and 3 to evaluate infants with or at risk for developmental delay. This study adds to the current literature by utilizing a variety of measures to determine if education impacts developmental outcomes for children of varying developmental abilities and alters parents’ knowledge, beliefs and behaviors related to development. Broadening the knowledge about how parent education programs affect child and parental outcomes will allow for the creation of more effective educational programs in the future.
Description
Keywords
Early intervention, Infant development, Motor development, Parent education, Parent-child interaction, Play