Associations between infant-caregiver joint attention and socioeconomic status: a PRISMA-compliant scoping review

Introduction Socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with variation in caregiver–child interactions and developmental outcomes across multiple domains. Joint attention (JA)–the coordination of attention between infants and caregivers toward shared objects or events–is a foundational process supporting early cognitive, language, and socioemotional development. Methods This scoping review systematically synthesizes evidence on associations between SES and JA behaviors during infancy. Proximal caregiving variables (i.e., caregiver stress and caregiving behaviors) are considered when reported alongside JA within low-SES settings. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 53 articles were identified through systematic searches of Ovid, PsycINFO, and Medline, with 23 peer-reviewed studies meeting inclusion criteria after independent screening. All assessed JA during infancy (≤36 months). Results Across studies ( N = 4,402), findings were mixed but generally indicate that higher SES is associated with more frequent and more coordinated forms of JA, particularly infant-initiated and coordinated engagement. Discussion However, JA was observed across all socioeconomic contexts, including in samples experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage, underscoring the universality of JA and the importance of interpreting SES-related differences within broader environmental and cultural contexts that shape interactional strategies. Differences in SES, JA operationalization, and analytic approaches are discussed. Evidence examining caregiver stress and caregiving behaviors as explanatory mechanisms was limited and inconsistent and did not support strong conclusions regarding buffering or mediating pathways. Instead, caregiver stress and caregiving behaviors are more cautiously interpreted as part of a broader ecological system shaping opportunities for joint engagement. Together, these findings suggest that SES shapes the conditions under which JA unfolds, while JA itself remains a robust and developmentally meaningful process across socioeconomic contexts.