Presence at a distance: Video chat supports intergenerational sensitivity and positive infant affect during COVID-19

COVID-19 disrupted infant contact with people beyond the immediate family. Because grandparents faced higher COVID-19 risks due to age, many used video chat instead of interacting with their infant grandchildren in person. We conducted a semi-naturalistic, longitudinal study with 48 families, each of whom submitted a series of video chats and surveys, and most (n = 40) also submitted a video of an in-person interaction. Families were mostly highly-educated, White/Caucasian, and lived between 1 and 2700 miles apart. We used multilevel models to examine grandparents’ and parents’ sensitivity during video chat across time (centered at February 1, 2021, the approximate date of vaccine availability). Grandparent video chat sensitivity changed as a function of date and parent sensitivity. Parent sensitivity changed as a function of date, grandparent sensitivity, and geographic distance. We then modeled infants' affective valence during video chat and in-person interactions with their grandparents, which was only predicted by grandparent sensitivity, not modality or other factors. This study demonstrates that caregivers were sensitive toward infants during video chat interactions despite fluctuations in family stress and reduced in-person contact during COVID-19 and that grandparent sensitivity predicted positive infant affect during both video chat and in-person interactions.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Presence at a distance: Video chat supports intergenerational sensitivity and positive infant affect during COVID‐19. Infancy 27, 6 p1008-1031 (2022)], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12491. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions: https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/licensing/self-archiving.html#3.

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Work Title Presence at a distance: Video chat supports intergenerational sensitivity and positive infant affect during COVID-19
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Ellen Roche
  2. Joscelin Rocha-Hidalgo
  3. Douglas Piper
  4. Gabrielle A. Strouse
  5. Lucinda I. Neely
  6. Jenna Ryu
  7. Lauren J. Myers
  8. Elisabeth McClure
  9. Georgene L. Troseth
  10. Jennifer M. Zosh
  11. Rachel Barr
Keyword
  1. Video chat
  2. COVID-19
  3. Infant affect
  4. Grandparents
  5. Family systems
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Infancy
Publication Date August 6, 2022
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12491
Deposited December 17, 2023

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added Infancy_accepted_for_sharing-1.pdf
  • Added Creator Ellen Roche
  • Added Creator Joscelin Rocha-Hidalgo
  • Added Creator Douglas Piper
  • Added Creator Gabrielle A. Strouse
  • Added Creator Lucinda I. Neely
  • Added Creator Jenna Ryu
  • Added Creator Lauren J. Myers
  • Added Creator Elisabeth McClure
  • Added Creator Georgene L. Troseth
  • Added Creator Jennifer M. Zosh
  • Added Creator Rachel Barr
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Video chat, COVID-19, Infant affect, Grandparents, Family systems
  • Updated