
Children facing adversity risk experiencing language difficulties more than their peers. This study examines the association between specific maternal responsive behaviors at 24 months and language outcomes at five years in a cohort of mothers and children facing adversity. Mother-child dyads facing adversity were observed and videotaped at home at 24 months in mother–child free play. Four maternal responsive behaviors were coded from these videos: imitations, responsive questions, labels, and expansions. Child language was assessed using the CELF-4 at the age of 5 years. Linear regression was used to examine associations in both adjusted and unadjusted models. In unadjusted models, imitations, responsive questions, and labels predicted better child language scores at age 5. In addition, imitations positively predicted language scores after adjusting for confounding factors, including earlier communication skills. Findings demonstrate the importance of considering maternal-responsive behaviors concerning stages of child development.
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