Phenomena of early communicative development in blind children in foreign empirical research

 
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Abstract

The regularities of mental development of children with severe visual impairments remain one of the least explored areas in early intervention. The design of psycho-pedagogical interventions aimed at preventing learning and behavioral difficulties of this population requires a clear understanding of the logic of early ontogenesis in blindness, its milestones and mechanisms underlying developmental deviations. This review analyses empirical findings on dynamics of communicative development in blind infants and toddlers, and compares the normative timelines for the emergence of key communicative phenomena in blindness reported by different authors. The results show that aligning these findings with the Russian model of communicative ontogenesis created by M.I. Lisina and her followers, comprising the orienting component of communication, situational-personal communication, and situational-practical communication, provides a coherent framework for integrating data across theoretical perspectives and identifying normative milestones that mark transitions between developmental stages. This comparison indicates considerable individual variability in development under conditions of blindness, which should be scientifically explained.

General Information

Keywords: early communicative development, blind children, infancy and early childhood

Journal rubric: Psychology of Special and Inclusive Education

Article type: review article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2025140409

Funding. The study was implemented in the framework of the research work «Scientific design of models of early correctional care» as part of the implementation of the state assignment of the Federal State Budget Scientific Institution «Institute of Special Education» 073-00005-25-02 for 2025.

Received 11.09.2025

Revised 26.11.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Ayvazyan, E.B., Kudrina, T.P., Razenkova, Yu.A., Pavlova, A.V. (2025). Phenomena of early communicative development in blind children in foreign empirical research. Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 14(4), 87–96. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2025140409

© Ayvazyan E.B., Kudrina T.P., Razenkova Yu.A., Pavlova A.V., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Ekaterina B. Ayvazyan, Doctor of Psychology, Leading Researcher of the Laboratory for Comprehensive Research in Early Care, Institute of Special Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4547-1247, e-mail: ajwaza@yandex.ru

Tat’yana P. Kudrina, Candidate of Science (Education), Senior researcher at the Laboratory for Comprehensive Research in Early Care, Institute of Special Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5810-3457, e-mail: koudrina@ikp.email

Yulia A. Razenkova, Doctor of Psychology, Head of the Laboratory for Comprehensive Research in Early Care, Institute of Special Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3084-8286

Anna V. Pavlova, Research Scientist at the Laboratory for Comprehensive Research in Early Care, Institute of Special Education, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8839-8436, e-mail: pavlova@ikp.email

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