This study investigates how allomaternal care (AMC) impacts human development outside of energetics by evaluating relations between important qualitative and quantitative aspects of AMC and developmental outcomes in a Western population. This study seeks to determine whether there are measurable differences in cognitive and language outcomes as predicted by differences in exposure to AMC via formal (e.g., childcare facilities) and informal (e.g., family and friends) networks. Data were collected from 102 mothers and their typically developing infants aged 13–18 months. AMC predictor data were collected using questionnaires, structured daily diaries, and longitudinal interviews. Developmental outcomes were assessed using the Cognitive, Receptive Language, and Expressive Language subtests of the Bayley III Screening Test. Additional demographic covariates were also evaluated. Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-informed model selection was used to identify the best-fitting model for each outcome across three working linear regression models. Although AMC variables had no significant effects on Receptive and Expressive Language subtest scores, highly involved familial AMC had a significant medium effect on Cognitive subtest score (β = 0.23, p < 0.01, semi-partial r = 0.28). Formal childcare had no effect on any outcome. This study provides preliminary evidence that there is a measurable connection between AMC and cognitive development in some populations and provides a methodological base from which to assess these connections cross-culturally through future studies. As these effects are attributable to AMC interactions with networks of mostly related individuals, these findings present an area for further investigation regarding the kin selection hypothesis for AMC.

本研究通过评估 AMC 的重要定性和定量方面与西方人群的发展结果之间的关系，研究异母护理 (AMC) 如何影响能量学之外的人类发展。本研究旨在确定通过正式（例如，托儿所）和非正式（例如，家人和朋友）网络接触 AMC 的差异所预测的认知和语言结果是否存在可测量的差异。数据来自 102 位母亲及其 13-18 个月大的典型发育婴儿。AMC 预测数据是使用问卷、结构化的日常日记和纵向访谈收集的。使用 Bayley III 筛选测试的认知、接受语言和表达语言子测试评估发育结果。还评估了其他人口统计协变量。使用 Akaike 信息准则 (AIC) 知情模型选择来确定三个工作线性回归模型中每个结果的最佳拟合模型。尽管 AMC 变量对接受和表达语言分测验分数没有显着影响，但高度参与的家族 AMC 对认知分测验分数有显着的中等影响（β = 0.23，p  < 0.01，半部分r  = 0.28)。正式的托儿服务对任何结果都没有影响。这项研究提供的初步证据表明有是在某些人群AMC和认知发展之间的可测量的连接，并提供从其中通过今后的研究跨文化评估这些连接的方法基础。由于这些影响归因于 AMC 与大多数相关个体的网络的相互作用，这些发现为进一步研究 AMC 的亲属选择假设提供了一个领域。