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Abstract
Multiple caregiving attributes are known predictors of children’s language outcomes. However, the relation between mind-mindedness, caregivers’ propensity to represent their children as individuals with mental states, and children’s vocabulary, is not clearly understood. This study examined the association between maternal mind-mindedness and toddlers’ vocabulary outcomes, and, within a Differential Susceptibility framework, investigated a potential moderating role of toddlers’ negative affectivity. Overall, results did not support the study hypotheses, as mind-mindedness was not related to receptive or expressive vocabulary, nor was there an interaction between mind-mindedness and negative affect in accounting for differences in expressive vocabulary. However, exploratory analyses revealed a positive association between mind mindedness and expressive vocabulary that approached significance for the 24-month age group. These findings suggest that a relation between mind-mindedness and children’s language abilities may not emerge until approximately 24-months, and that further investigation is needed to elucidate a potential moderating role of children’s temperament.