My hypothesis is that interactive play between caregivers and their infants could improve growth, development and wellbeing through nurturing care, and through improving movement.
The aim of interactive play is that it encompasses two key elements – a positive interaction between caregiver and infant, and promotion of healthy movement behaviours in the child. From my formative work, I have been able to explore and develop novel methodology for objectively measuring infant movement using 24-hour accelerometry, and have consequently been able to measure and interpret detailed physical activity over a seven-day period in this population. Caregiver-infant interactions have primarily been measured using questionnaires or third party observation; however, these measures are limited by their subjectivity and intrusiveness. First person observation using headcams provide more comprehensive measures of caregiver-infant interaction, and the analysis of these measures has been optimised by Dr Pearson (Bristol, UK). Even with these novel ways of assessing movement and caregiver-infant interaction, I still need to determine relationships between these two behaviours, as well as optimal levels of interactive play. This project proposes to add accelerometry to a subsample of the ALSPAC-G2 cohort, in which headcams are already being used. This will be replicated by the cohort I am establishing in South Africa in order to allow for cross-context comparisons.