Parent responsiveness mediates the association between hyporeactivity at age 1 year and communication at age 2 years in children at elevated likelihood of ASD.
Rebecca Grzadzinski, Sallie W Nowell, Elizabeth R Crais and 3 others
PMID 34128355WHAT IT FOUND
In 83 at-risk toddlers, lower response to sensory stimuli at 14 months was linked to less parent talk during play, and to weaker communication at 23 months.
Parent talk during play may be a practical focus.
Key findings
01Child sensory hyporeactivity at 14 months was associated with lower average parent verbal responsiveness, and average parent verbal responsiveness was associated with higher MSEL language average at 23 months.
02The direct association between child sensory hyporeactivity and MSEL language average was no longer significant when average parent verbal responsiveness was included, and the indirect effect was significant.
03A similar pattern appeared with parent-report sensory and communication measures, although the direct association remained significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a secondary analysis of a trial that was not designed to test mediation, so the analysis could not fully model how intervention assignment may have affected the relationships. Parent verbal responsiveness was measured at 14 and 23 months and averaged, not measured between the sensory assessment and the communication outcome, so the timing needed for a clear mediation test was missing. The sample was 83 children, predominantly White, English-speaking, and highly educated, so the findings may not generalize to other families. Diagnostic outcome information was missing for 40% of the sample; among 53 children with outcomes, 18 had ASD. The analysis focused on verbal responsiveness and hyporeactivity only, not nonverbal responsiveness, hyperreactivity, or sensory seeking.
Declared interests
Authors report no conflicts of interest. The article is listed as supported by NIH extramural and U.S. government non-PHS research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that coaching parents to be more responsive will improve their child's communication. The study measured parent responsiveness rather than changing it, and the original trial had no significant main effects on child sensory reactivity or communication.