How do activity contexts affect parent-child interaction? Reporting results from a scoping review and implications for PCI intervention

Parent-child interaction (PCI) approaches are frequently used in speech and language therapy for children at risk of developing DLD. PCI is based on research which has observed parents and children interacting, and in turn concluded which aspects of interaction foster children’s language development (Leadbeater & Litosseliti, 2014). However, it is unclear whether interactions observed during structured, researcher-directed activity contexts reflect children’s everyday routines. To provide effective intervention for children, we must consider how linguistic experiences vary within diverse everyday activities.

The aim of this scoping review was to explore the breadth of literature about the language parents and children use across activity contexts.

A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology (Peters et al., 2020). Five databases were searched and included studies used within-subject designs to describe linguistic outputs of parents and their preschool age children (1;0-5;11 years).

Of a total 16,718 records retrieved, 59 articles were included for final data charting. A thematic synthesis identified five key areas of activity that have been studied in the literature: comparison across contexts; book reading; toy play; media and methodological implications.

The presentation will consider the diversity of activity contexts and participants in the included studies and reflect on implications for our understanding of PCI.