Susan & Deanna’s Coding Corner

In our coding workshops at the conference, Play Talk emerged as a tricky coding category.  Play talk describes verbalizations in which the parent talks “in role” as a toy or character, makes sound effects, or sings. In looking over the new DPICS-4 Comprehensive Manual for Research and Training, we found a nice explanation of when to code Play Talk. I’m going to paraphrase this here:

Parents’ play talk is coded into other categories only when they are directed toward the child or towards a toy that the child is playing with.

For example, if the parent spoke to the child as Mr. Potato Head, you would code that speech.

• Parent: (speaking in gruff voice & moving Mr. Potato Head) “Hey, Josh! Look at my cool mustache!”           IC /NOC + DC/NOC

If the child was holding Hamm, the Piggy bank, and the parent (pretending to be Mr. Potato Head) spoke to Hamm, you would code that speech.

• Parent: (speaking in gruff voice & moving Mr. Potato Head) “Hi, Hamm (in child’s hand)! Look at my cool mustache!”       IC /NOC + DC/NOC

HOWEVER, if the parent (pretending to be Mr. Potato Head) spoke to Hamm, who was standing on the table or in the parent’s hand, you would not code the parent’s speech.

• Parent: (speaking in gruff voice & moving Mr. Potato Head) “Hi, Hamm (on table)! Look at my cool mustache!”       No code + No code