Family Microtransitions: An Observational Study

• Published in: Marriage & family review 2013-12, Vol.49 (8), p.717-736
• Main Authors: Cigala, Ada, Fruggeri, Laura, Venturelli, Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Children; coordination; Coping; Families & family life; family functioning; Family Relations; Family Roles; Fathers; microtransition; Mothers; observed triadic interactions; Parent Child Relations; Sex roles; Sexuality. Marriage. Family relations; Sociology; Sociology of the family. Age groups; Studies; Triads
• ISSN: 0149-4929; 1540-9635
• DOI: 10.1080/01494929.2013.834023

This research aimed to study the processes that take place during family microtransitions, that is, when family members move from an interactive form characterized by specific roles (active or peripheral) to another form that requires a change in these roles. For this purpose, 21 normative triads composed of mother, father, and a 4-year-old child were observed in a laboratory while playing together in a setting where they were asked to change their interactive configuration three times. The data revealed different ways of family functioning in coping with the microtransitions. Two groups emerged from the analysis that presented different characteristics. In particular, the family triads that completed the assigned task showed a significantly higher level of coordination and emotional tuning, a larger number of processes implied in the triadic dynamics, and a greater communicative coherence between the verbal, the expressive, and the corporal channels, compared with the group that did not complete the task.