Dyadic parent–infant interaction patterns at 12 months: Exploring dyadic parent–infant gender compositions

• Published in: Infant mental health journal 2022-05, Vol.43 (3), p.424-439
• Main Authors: Siqveland, Torill Sundet, Fredriksen, Eivor, Wentzel‐Larsen, Tore, Smith, Lars, Moe, Vibeke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Babies; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; child development; composición de género de progenitor‐infante; composition du genre parent‐bébé; crianza; desarrollo del niño; développement de l'enfant; early childhood; Elternschaft; Eltern‐Kind‐Interaktion; Emotions; enfance précoce; Female; frühe Kindheit; Gender; Geschlechtszusammensetzung von Eltern und Kind; Humans; Infant; interacción progenitor‐infante; Interaction parent‐bébé; Interpersonal Relations; Kindesentwicklung; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; parentage; parenting; Parents; parent–infant gender composition; parent–infant interaction; Pleasure; temprana niñez; الكلمات الرئيسية: التفاعل بين الوالدين والرضيع ، نمو الطفل ، الطفولة المبكرة ، التربية الوالدية ، تكوين جنس الوالدين والرضيع; キーワード: 親−乳幼児相互交流、子どもの発達、幼児期、子育て、親‐乳幼児の性別構成; 关键词:亲子互动, 儿童发展, 幼儿期, 育儿, 父母‐婴儿性别构成
• ISSN: 0163-9641; 1097-0355
• DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21982

This study investigates differences in dyadic mother–infant and father–infant interaction patterns at infant age 12 months, and the relation between different parent–infant gender compositions and the dyadic interaction. Data were drawn from a large‐scale, population‐based Norwegian community sample comprising 671 mother–infant and 337 father–infant interactions. The Early Relational Health Screen (ERHS), a screening method for observing dyadic parent–infant interactions, was used to assess the parent–infant interactions. Scores on the ERHS were employed to investigate dyadic differences in the overall interaction scores, and dyadic interaction on seven sub‐dimensions between mother–infant and father–infant pairs. The relation between different parent–infant gender compositions and the dyadic interaction scores was also examined. As expected in a normative sample, most parent–infant interactions received scores in the upper rating levels. Differences between mother–infant and father–infant patterns were generally small, but mother–infant dyads tended to obtain slightly higher scores. The mother–infant dyads received higher scores on the dimensions of engagement and enjoyment, but no other significant differences between the parent–infant pairs were found for the remaining dimensions. We did not find evidence for a moderation effect of child gender. However, parent–daughter dyads received somewhat higher scores than the parent–son dyads. Resumen Este estudio investiga las diferencias en los patrones de interacción de las díadas madre‐infante y padre‐infante a los 12 meses de edad del infante, y la relación entre las diferentes composiciones de género de progenitor‐infante y la interacción diádica. Los datos se obtuvieron de un grupo muestra a gran escala con base en la población en una comunidad noruega y el mismo comprendía 671 interacciones madre‐infante y 337 padre‐infante. La Temprana Detección de Salud de la Relación (ERHS), un método de examinación para observar las interacciones progenitor‐infante, se usó para evaluar las interacciones progenitor‐infante. Los puntajes de ERHS se emplearon para investigar las diferencias diádicas dentro de los puntajes de interacción generales, y las interacciones diádicas acerca de siete sub‐dimensiones entre los pares de madre‐infante y padre‐infante. También se examinó la relación entre las diferentes composiciones de género progenitor‐infante y la interacción diádica. Como se esperaba en un grupo muestra normativo