Socio-emotional development within the family system: trends and outcomes from birth to the preschool age
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Recently a growing interest has been devoted to the study of the development of early triadic interactive competencies and to the definition and validation of triadic observational paradigms (Nadel, & Tremblay-Leveau, 1999; Tremblay-Leveau, 1999). Among these, the theoretical and methodological framework provided by Fivaz-Depeursinge and Corboz-Warnery (1999) in the study of the quality of family interactions seems to give the chance for a new view on these issues by moving the focus of the research towards the triadic (mother-father-child) interactive system as the main object of investigation. Family interactions is thus considered as a primary developmental context for child socio-emotional development as well as a privileged unit of observation of parenting skills. Taking a theoretical and methodological triadic and systemic approach to the study of mother-father-child interactive competences during infancy and the preschool age draws interest to the role of individual, dyadic and contextual-relational factors that might influence their developmental trajectories. In this perspective the aims of the research were: a) to analyze the development of triadic interactions within the family system from infant’s first months of life to the preschool age; b) to investigate the relationship between individual characteristics of parents and the child (gender, parents’ affective-relational history and mothers’ postnatal depressive symptoms), contextual sources of stress and support (the quality of the marital and coparental relationship, the degree of father involvement) and the development of socio-emotional competencies expressed during triadic mother-father-child interactions and children’s outcomes at the preschool age. 31 non-referred primiparous families participated in the study and were recruited at child-birth classes. All the families have been seen during pregnancy, at the 4th , 9th , 12th and at the preschool age. Measures included: self-report (Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Questionnaire on Father Involvement, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and parents’ report (Symptom Checklist modified) questionnaires, interviews (Adult Attachment Interview) and observational procedures (Prenatal and Postnatal Lausanne Trilogue Play). Results showed a partial stability of the quality of family triadic interactions from pregnancy to the child’s preschool age: indeed only the overall quality of triadic interactions assessed at the baby's 9th month of life correlates significantly with that assessed at the child's preschool age. Moreover, a significant increase in the quality of mother-father-child interactions during this period was observed. Triadic interactive competences at the preschool age were predicted by the degree of father involvement at the infant’s 4 months and mothers’ inferred experiences of involvement and preoccupation for their parents’ well-being during childhood, both exerting a positive effect on the later quality of mother-father-child interactions. Finally fathers’ perception of marital adjustment was found significantly associated to children’s sleeping difficulties, mothers’ and fathers’ marital adjustment and father involvement were found significantly and negatively related to children’s regulation problems whereas mothers’ experiences of neglect during childhood were positively associated with children’s outcomes in this area. Moreover, marital adjustment reported by mother at the infant’s 4 and 12 months and mothers’ experiences of neglect during childhood were found predictive of children’s behavioural problems at the preschool age. Summarizing these data, different pathways of family interactive and socio-emotional skills can be observed from baby's birth to the child's preschool age: while during the first year of infant's life, the overall and specific dimensions of the quality of triadic interactions show no stability and, at the same time a significant discontinuity between the 4th and the 9th month, the succeeding period presents an higher stability and continuity in the family triadic competences. These results seem to stress the importance of early interactions, in this case within the mother-father-child triad, in shaping later interactions and relationships as well as the possibility to look at the first year of the baby's life as a developmental window for the family interactive system, during which family triads can significantly improve their interactive competences. Strong cross-sectional and longitudinal association have been also revealed between the overall quality of triadic competencies and the degree of father involvement: these observations seem to provide a first evidence of the close relationship between the two constructs during early childhood and their mutual interdependence in fostering a relational context functional to the well-being and the development of the child. Moreover, mothers’ early experiences of involvement and preoccupation for their parents well-being seem to foster later quality of family interactions. On the other hand, children’s psycho-functional outcomes at the preschool age seem to be predicted mainly by marital adjustment, father involvement and mothers’ experiences of neglect: the first two, predicting more favourable outcomes for children, the latter exerting a negative influence on children’s regulation and behavioural problems.
Author: Erika Petech
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W86270623