What is it about?
It is widely reported that African parents rely more on nonverbal and physical communication than verbal and gaze behaviors when interacting with their young children. This study revealed important variations in communication styles associated with education level among caregivers in Senegal. Caregivers who used more face-to-face behaviors, such as talking and eye contact, had children with stronger language skills in Wolof, the main language of Senegal.
Featured Image
Photo by Omoniyi David on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This research highlights the importance of investigating within-group variabilities in parenting and child development research in non-Western societies rather than solely relying on between-cultural group comparisons. This work expands our understanding of language development in Africa and provides insights for interventions aimed at improving children’s language skills in Senegal.
Perspectives
It was a great pleasure to write this article. I collaborated with fantastic co-authors on this paper, who have made significant contributions to its quality. I hope you find this article thought-provoking and consider it an important step toward developing more inclusive and cohesive child development theories.
Yatma Diop
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Within-group variability in communication style among caregivers and its relation to the language abilities of Wolof-learning toddlers in Senegal., Developmental Psychology, June 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/dev0001985.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
