1. Maternal Responsiveness and Language Development in Children of Immigrant Parents
Cheryl Giacomelli, Harry Voulgarakis, James Vivian, Tiffany Fielding, and Debra Bendell
Fielding Graduate University, School of Psychology
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Participants
This study utilized data gathered from 2003 to 2004 from the New Immigrant Survey. Population samples are from over 20 different countries. All of the adult participants in the New Immigrant Survey achieved legal residency.
Procedure and Data Analysis
An independent-samples t-test was performed to compare WC scores of children of mothers classified as either responsive or unresponsive
Past research has identified maternal responsiveness as a protective factor that helps promote language development, however the majority of this research has focused on parents and children in their native countries (Washbrook et al., 2012).
Washbrook et al. (2012) found known protective factors such as maternal attentiveness did not promote language development in immigrant children.
The presented study further evaluated the effect maternal attentiveness has on language development and found maternal attentiveness does not promote language development in immigrant children.
These findings support existing research that identifies learning needs of children of immigrant families differ from children of non-immigrant parents. However this study is not free from limitation.
While the results of this study are consistent with the limited existing research, future research should utilize larger sample sizes. The small sample size in this study should be recognized as a limitation.
Parental behavior can serve as a significant mediator in the development of language in young children; in particular, maternal responsiveness has been found to be of particular importance.
While development and use of language in children has been demonstrated to be affected by parental behaviors, most completed studies include samples of parents and children in their native countries.
Children of immigrants make-up the largest minority and fastest growing group of children in the United States.
Evidence suggests that children raised by immigrant parents may be affected differently by increased responsiveness from their mothers.
Children of immigrant parents may develop language at slower rates and underperform as compared to children of native-born parents.
Mean Woodcock-Johnson Scores
Participants
28 participants were classified as having responsive mothers during observation, and 27 participants who were classified as having unresponsive mothers.   
Woodcock Johnson scores were lower for children of mothers who were responsive (35.89   22.408) compared to children of mothers who were not responsive (49.89 ,
A statistically significant difference of M= , SE=5.039 = t(45.884)= , p=.008.
No, Not Responsive
Yes, Responsive
% of Children Under 18 of Immigrant Parents
MigrartionPolicy.org
Future Research
% of Children of Immigrant Parents 25%
Future research should further evaluate the protective factors that promote language development in immigrant children.
This research is important because this segment of the population continues to grow and because the needs of this population are unique.