Maternal reminiscing conversations during middle childhood: Associations with idenitified learning difficulties

Abstract

This study examined maternal reminiscing conversations with 8-year-old children with an identified learning difficulty. Maternal reminiscing refers to conversations in which caregivers and children jointly reflect on past experiences, particularly emotional events, and has been shown to support socioemotional development across childhood (Salmon & Reese, 2016). However, relatively little research has explored these processes in children with learning difficulties during middle childhood. Using a mixed-methods design, we utilised reminiscing conversations from the 8-year timepoint of Growing Up in New Zealand: a large, diverse, prebirth national cohort. The quantitative component (n = 1,234) examined differences in conversation topic (disappointment versus social disagreement or injury) and the quality of conversations (elaboration and resolution) for children with learning difficulties compared with children without. The qualitative component (n = 11) utilised reflexive thematic analysis to explore conversations for children with learning difficulties who discussed an academic disappointment with their caregiver. This analysis identified themes that align with the existing reminiscing literature within typically developing populations (e.g., emotion discussion and sensitive guidance and validation). Several novel themes were also identified (e.g., mindset and comparison to the norm) which may have particular relevance for children with learning difficulties. The findings underscore the potential of everyday caregiver-child interactions as strengths-based, preventative support for children with learning difficulties; with potential implications for early social and educational level interventions, family-focused practices, and intergenerational pathways of risk and resilience.