Williams, Vicki, Pearce, Wendy M., and Devine, Sue (2014) First time mothers' knowledge and beliefs regarding early communication development. Early Child Development and Care, 184 (1). pp. 15-31.

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Abstract

Limited literature exists in the Australian context about first-time mothers' knowledge of early communication milestones, their strategies to facilitate speech and language development and understanding of the relationship between early communication skills and future development. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 53 first-time mothers using SurveyMonkey®. Most participants had a single child between zero and 12 months old, lived in outer regional areas and were tertiary educated. Friends were a greater source of information than health professionals and mothers varied in their knowledge of early communication milestones. Mothers were aware of a range of strategies to help their child learn communication skills. Thematic analysis revealed first-time mothers had a high level of insight into the importance of early communication development for future learning and social/emotional wellbeing. The findings indicate a need for increased information provision to first-time mothers regarding early communication development.

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