Good parenting is known to significantly impact a child’s ability to communicate and think. Research increasingly shows that training parents can improve outcomes for children. However, a new study suggests there are limits to how much effective parenting can enhance a newborn’s language and cognitive skills, especially in families facing severe deprivation.
Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis explored the effects of “prenatal social disadvantage” on newborn brain development. This term refers to families lacking the resources to meet their basic needs. The study involved pregnant women from various backgrounds, recruited from obstetric clinics in St. Louis.
The team followed around 200 mothers and their newborns, assessing parenting practices and evaluating language and cognitive skills at ages 1 and 2. They found that prenatal social disadvantage was linked to lower cognitive and language scores. Supportive parenting could improve these scores, but only to a certain extent.
The findings, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, highlight the importance of addressing basic needs to enhance early childhood interventions. Deanna Barch, a lead researcher and professor at the university, explained that if a family has stable housing, food, and healthcare, then good parenting can make a positive difference. However, if these needs are unmet, cognitive development is likely to be constrained, limiting the impact of parenting.
The study indicates that supportive parenting alone cannot counteract the negative effects of deprivation on brain development. The research aims to guide the creation of social programs that invest in prenatal care and parenting support.
Shelby Leverett, a PhD student involved in the study, noted that the results were surprising, as much of the existing literature on parenting focuses on families with more advantages. “We must support families to eliminate disadvantage so children can have the best chance to develop optimally,” Leverett emphasized.
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