Singletary Britt
School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, US.
Crane Center for Early Childhood Research & Policy, The Ohio State University, 175 E. 7th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43201, US.
Hum Nat. 2021 Jun;32(2):326-362. doi: 10.1007/s12110-021-09395-8. Epub 2021 May 10.
This study investigates how allomaternal care (AMC) impacts human development outside of energetics by evaluating relations between important qualitative and quantitative aspects of AMC and developmental outcomes in a Western population. This study seeks to determine whether there are measurable differences in cognitive and language outcomes as predicted by differences in exposure to AMC via formal (e.g., childcare facilities) and informal (e.g., family and friends) networks. Data were collected from 102 mothers and their typically developing infants aged 13-18 months. AMC predictor data were collected using questionnaires, structured daily diaries, and longitudinal interviews. Developmental outcomes were assessed using the Cognitive, Receptive Language, and Expressive Language subtests of the Bayley III Screening Test. Additional demographic covariates were also evaluated. Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-informed model selection was used to identify the best-fitting model for each outcome across three working linear regression models. Although AMC variables had no significant effects on Receptive and Expressive Language subtest scores, highly involved familial AMC had a significant medium effect on Cognitive subtest score (β = 0.23, p < 0.01, semi-partial r = 0.28). Formal childcare had no effect on any outcome. This study provides preliminary evidence that there is a measurable connection between AMC and cognitive development in some populations and provides a methodological base from which to assess these connections cross-culturally through future studies. As these effects are attributable to AMC interactions with networks of mostly related individuals, these findings present an area for further investigation regarding the kin selection hypothesis for AMC.
本研究通过评估西方人群中异亲照料（AMC）的重要定性和定量方面与发育结果之间的关系，调查了异亲照料在能量学之外对人类发育的影响。本研究旨在确定，通过正式（如儿童保育设施）和非正式（如家人和朋友）网络接触AMC的差异所预测的认知和语言结果是否存在可测量的差异。数据收集自102位母亲及其13至18个月大的发育正常的婴儿。AMC预测数据通过问卷、结构化日常日记和纵向访谈收集。发育结果使用贝利婴幼儿发展量表第三版筛查测试的认知、接受性语言和表达性语言子测试进行评估。还评估了其他人口统计学协变量。在三个工作线性回归模型中，使用赤池信息准则（AIC）指导的模型选择来确定每个结果的最佳拟合模型。尽管AMC变量对接受性和表达性语言子测试分数没有显著影响，但高度参与的家庭AMC对认知子测试分数有显著的中等影响（β = 0.23，p < 0.01，半偏相关系数r = 0.28）。正式儿童保育对任何结果均无影响。本研究提供了初步证据，表明在某些人群中AMC与认知发展之间存在可测量的联系，并提供了一个方法学基础，以便通过未来的研究跨文化评估这些联系。由于这些影响可归因于AMC与主要是亲属个体的网络之间的相互作用，这些发现为关于AMC的亲缘选择假说提供了一个有待进一步研究的领域。
