Turn-Taking and Vocal Coordination in Mother-Child Mixed-Hearing Dyads and the Effect of Home Music Engagement: A Longitudinal Study on Italian Children with Cochlear Implants
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| Title: | Turn-Taking and Vocal Coordination in Mother-Child Mixed-Hearing Dyads and the Effect of Home Music Engagement: A Longitudinal Study on Italian Children with Cochlear Implants |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Valentina Persici (ORCID |
| Source: | International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. 2026 61(3). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Parent Child Relationship, Mothers, Hard of Hearing, Foreign Countries, Music, Family Environment, Assistive Technology, Speech Habits, Interpersonal Communication, Speech Communication, Environmental Influences, Parent Influence, Longitudinal Studies, Italian, Language Patterns |
| Geographic Terms: | Italy |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1460-6984.70243 |
| ISSN: | 1368-2822 1460-6984 |
| Abstract: | Objectives: Studies have shown that the amount of turn-taking and vocal coordination in mother-child dyads, as well as amount of home music engagement, have important effects on children's language and social development. However, relatively few studies have examined the development of vocal behaviours in mixed-hearing and hearing dyads, and no study to our knowledge has examined the potential effect of amount of home music engagement on dyadic turn-taking and timing in mixed-hearing dyads. Design: This study examined these aspects in 34 mother-child dyads speaking Italian (17 hearing dyads and 17 dyads with children with cochlear implants [CIs]) across two time points, corresponding to before implantation (T1; mean age = 17 months) and to one year after CI activation (T2) for children with CIs. Mother-child interaction was videorecorded and coded offline. For both mothers and children, we extracted the following vocal behaviours: relative frequency of temporally contingent responses and of simultaneous speech, and timing of within- and between-speaker pauses. Amount of home music engagement was assessed using a parent report. Results: Results showed that the amount of turn-taking and degree of coordination between partners changed over time and was influenced by children's hearing impairment. We found reciprocal influences between mothers and children in their pause timing, with mothers seemingly guiding children towards the appropriate interactional timing, while remaining sensitive to their child's vocal behaviour. Finally, we found that greater music engagement at home was associated with more fluid and stable interactional exchanges in mixed-hearing dyads. Conclusions: Our findings highlight how turn-taking and its timing are affected by developmental trends, language skill, and hearing abilities. Importantly, they also show that children with CIs are sensitive and reactive to their mothers' vocal behaviour, and that the timing characteristics of turn-taking in mixed-hearing dyads are predicted by their amount of music engagement at home. These results suggest that everyday musical experiences may support the development of communicative timing in the early interactions of mixed-hearing dyads, and highlight the potential of music-based interventions in supporting language and communicative development for children with CIs. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1506768 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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