Communicative interactions between visually impaired mothers and their sighted children: analysis of gaze, facial expressions, voice and physical contacts

Background Social and emotional development of infants and young children is largely based on the communicative interaction with their mother, or principal caretaker (Trevarthen 1984). The main modalities implied in this early communication are voice, facial expressions and gaze (Stern 1993). This study aims at analysing early mother–child interactions in the case of visually impaired mothers who do not have access to their children’s gaze and facial expressions. Methods Spontaneous play interactions between seven visually impaired mothers and their sighted children aged between 6 months and 3 years were filmed. These dyads were compared with a control group of sighted mothers and children analysing four modalities of communication and interaction regulation: gaze, physical contacts, verbal productions and facial expressions. Results The visually impaired mothers’ facial expressions differed from the ones of sighted mothers mainly with respect to forehead movements, leading to an impoverishment of conveyed meaning. Regarding the other communicative modalities, results suggest that visually impaired mothers and their children use compensatory strategies to guaranty harmonic interaction despite the mother’s impairment: whereas gaze results the main factor of interaction regulation in sighted dyads, physical contacts and verbal productions assume a prevalent role in dyads with visually impaired mothers. Moreover, visually impaired mother’s children seem to be able to differentiate between their mother and sighted interaction partners, adapting differential modes of communication. Conclusions The results of this study show that, in spite of the obvious differences in the modes of communication, visual impairment does not prevent a harmonious interaction with the child.