Current Pediatric Research

Joint attention refers to the ability to share attention between two individuals and a third object. These skills include referential gaze and gestures such as giving and showing, and pointing. We distinguish the RJA (Response to Joint Attention) when a behaviour is initiated by the parent and the child follows an indicated object with his eye gaze, and the IJA (Initiative to Joint Attention) when the child begins a sharing behaviour aimed at satisfaction of his needs. Some researchers have highlighted how temperament plays a role in the development of JA, in particular the style of temperament and emotional reactivity. In this study, we investigate infant’s temperamental elements at 18-24 month and how it could relate to IJA and RJA performance. Study participants were recruited among 32 nurseries, for a total of 248 children. In order to assess the temperamental factors and joint attention capabilities, nest operators were required to perform two questionnaires, respectively to evaluate the temperament and JA.

Author(s): Frolli A*, Lombardi A, Bosco A, Di Carmine F, Ricci MC

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