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Maternal Touch in Object- and Nonobject-Oriented Play Interactions: A Longitudinal Study at 7 and 12 Months

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Title: Maternal Touch in Object- and Nonobject-Oriented Play Interactions: A Longitudinal Study at 7 and 12 Months
Language: English
Authors: Juliana F. Serra (ORCID 0000-0001-8312-8656), Helga Miguel, Filipe Araújo, Adriana Sampaio, Alfredo F. Pereira
Source: Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(8):1565-1577.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Mothers, Play, Infants, Parent Child Relationship, Age Differences, Difficulty Level, Child Development, Foreign Countries, Interaction, Tactual Perception
Geographic Terms: Portugal
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001897
ISSN: 0012-1649
1939-0599
Abstract: Social touch is a crucial part of how mothers interact with their infants, with different touch types serving distinct purposes in these exchanges. However, there is still a limited understanding of how mothers' touch behavior adapts to specific interactive tasks, particularly throughout infancy. To address this gap, we observed mother-infant dyads at 7 and 12 months during three structured social play tasks: (a) play with objects, (b) play without objects, and (c) play with a difficult object. Using an adapted version of the Ordinalized Maternal Touch Scale, we categorized every touch performed by the mother. The effect of the infant's age and play tasks on the proportion of time mothers touch their infants was evaluated using Bayesian beta mixed models, taking into account both the total quantity and the Ordinalized Maternal Touch Scale touch categories. Results showed that (a) the frequency of maternal touch is prevalent in dyadic interactions and lowered in triadic object play; (b) mothers used affectionate, static, and playful touch categories more often in dyadic play tasks; (c) in triadic play task, mothers used object-mediated touch more frequently; (d) the total frequency of maternal touch decreased across infant age, which was primarily due to a decrease in static and object-mediated touch; and (e) maternal touch varies depending on the complexity of object play task. Our findings suggested that the developmental trajectory of maternal touch behavior is modulated by the infant's evolving needs and the different challenges in object versus nonobject play tasks.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502521
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Maternal Touch in Object- and Nonobject-Oriented Play Interactions: A Longitudinal Study at 7 and 12 Months
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Juliana+F%2E+Serra%22">Juliana F. Serra</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8312-8656">0000-0001-8312-8656</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helga+Miguel%22">Helga Miguel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Filipe+Araújo%22">Filipe Araújo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adriana+Sampaio%22">Adriana Sampaio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alfredo+F%2E+Pereira%22">Alfredo F. Pereira</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Psychology%22"><i>Developmental Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 61(8):1565-1577.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 13
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Play%22">Play</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Difficulty+Level%22">Difficulty Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interaction%22">Interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tactual+Perception%22">Tactual Perception</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Portugal%22">Portugal</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/dev0001897
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  Data: 0012-1649<br />1939-0599
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Social touch is a crucial part of how mothers interact with their infants, with different touch types serving distinct purposes in these exchanges. However, there is still a limited understanding of how mothers' touch behavior adapts to specific interactive tasks, particularly throughout infancy. To address this gap, we observed mother-infant dyads at 7 and 12 months during three structured social play tasks: (a) play with objects, (b) play without objects, and (c) play with a difficult object. Using an adapted version of the Ordinalized Maternal Touch Scale, we categorized every touch performed by the mother. The effect of the infant's age and play tasks on the proportion of time mothers touch their infants was evaluated using Bayesian beta mixed models, taking into account both the total quantity and the Ordinalized Maternal Touch Scale touch categories. Results showed that (a) the frequency of maternal touch is prevalent in dyadic interactions and lowered in triadic object play; (b) mothers used affectionate, static, and playful touch categories more often in dyadic play tasks; (c) in triadic play task, mothers used object-mediated touch more frequently; (d) the total frequency of maternal touch decreased across infant age, which was primarily due to a decrease in static and object-mediated touch; and (e) maternal touch varies depending on the complexity of object play task. Our findings suggested that the developmental trajectory of maternal touch behavior is modulated by the infant's evolving needs and the different challenges in object versus nonobject play tasks.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1037/dev0001897
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 1565
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Play
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Difficulty Level
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      – SubjectFull: Child Development
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      – SubjectFull: Interaction
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      – SubjectFull: Tactual Perception
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      – SubjectFull: Portugal
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      – TitleFull: Maternal Touch in Object- and Nonobject-Oriented Play Interactions: A Longitudinal Study at 7 and 12 Months
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