Individual variability in maternal infant-directed speech
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Infant-directed speech (IDS) is a universal, distinctive way in which adults speak to infants. IDS is characterized by a higher and more variable voice pitch, slower rate of speech, shorter utterances, more repetition, longer pauses, and increased simplification. This study examined acoustical differences between IDS and adult-directed speech (ADS) in terms of mean and median pitch, and pitch variability during play interactions between 42 mother-infant dyads. Also, this study examined individual variability in the degree of pitch enhancement done by mothers in IDS as compared to their own ADS. Finally, this study investigated the potential relation between individual difference in maternal sensitivity and differences in maternal IDS. The results indicated significantly higher mean and median pitches, and a significantly more pitch variability in IDS as compared to ADS. Despite individual variability in the degree to which mothers enhanced their speech while interacting with infants, no significant correlation was found between maternal sensitivity and acoustic measures of IDS pitch.
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M.H.S.