Abstract

SIMAES, Ailín C et al. Associations Between Joint Attention and Home Stimulation in the Context of COVID-19. Rev. psicodebate: psicol. cult. soc. [online]. 2022, vol.22, n.1, pp.7-23. ISSN 2451-6600.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18682/pd.v22i1.443.

The objective of this research was to describe the type of stimulation at home and the joint attention of infants during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to evaluate the possible association between these variables. The sample consisted of 55 primary caregivers of Argentine infants aged 9 months to 3 years (M = 1.63, SD = 0.8, male n = 24). An ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire, an ad hoc Home Stimulation Questionnaire and the Joint Attention Scale of Wetherby and Prizant (2002) were administered, for which all variables were collected by self-report. It was found that the TV was the device most used by infants, and that TV, cell phone, and Internet use were actively shared with caregivers. In turn, the levels of joint attention behaviors were high for this sample. A positive association was also found between shared reading, joint attention and contact with relatives. On the contrary, the more reading, the less daily TV use by the child. In turn, it was found that high number of months out of work, were associated to high levels of joint attention, and the only factor that positively predicted joint attention was unemployment. Finally, it was found that a greater number of books in the home was positively associated with recreational activities with the child and negatively associated with cell phone use. In this sense, a higher level of cell phone use by the child was associated with a greater consumption of news associated with COVID- 19 by the caregiver. It is concluded that it is necessary to work on the amount of time that infants are exposed to technological devices and promote joint attention spaces, such as shared reading in the early years of development.

Keywords : Stimulation at home; Joint attention; Infants; COVID-19.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )