Parent-Child Interaction

Abstract

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Parent-Child Interaction: Attachment

Parental influence on children have a long history in developmental psychology (Putallaz & Heflin, 1990). From children doing what their best at, play, to learning, parent-child interaction is very influential. Parent-child interaction is crucial as it has an impact on a child’s social and language development, most especially in toddlerhood (Kwon et al.2013). Young children are able to develop the skills they need to succeed in life with their parents’ responsive, sensitive, and predictable care. Early parent-child interactions have powerful effects on children’s emotional well-being (Dawson & Ashman,2000).[unique_solution]

Researchers examined whether infants’ behavior towards the primary caregiver during a short series of caregiver-infant instructional tasks offers clues to the quality of the infant-caregiver attachment relationship (van Bakel & Riksen-Walraven, 2002). Researchers used an abbreviated version of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation to assess the quality of the attachment relationship. They focused on four aspects of infant interactive behavior that may reflect the quality of the child’s relationship with the caregiver. The aspects that the researchers focused on were negativity or resistance, avoidance of interaction with the caregiver, compliance, and sharing of positive affect with the caregiver (van Bakel & Riksen-Walraven, 2002).

According to Cummings et al. (2002), attachment is a particular conceptualization of the influence of parents on their children’s development in the context of parent-child relationships. Attachment is an emotional relationship between a child and the caregiver (Benoit, 2004). Children are known to form affective bond with their parents that have continuity over time (Cummings et al.2002). From previous research, we know that the quality of attachment infants have with their caregivers within the first two years is an important risk or protective factor for their future development (van Bakel & Riksen-Walraven, 2002).

Research on the quality of parent-child interactions have produced relatively inconsistent findings (Kwon et al.2013). Therefore, causing us to further study and research the impact of the quality of parent-child interactions during free play and structured task sessions. In this study, we examined the type quality of the parent-child interaction during free play and structured tasks, and how it has an influence on the attachment style of toddlers. We hypothesized that toddlers with secure attachment styles given free play activities will engage longer than they will in structured task activities.

A growing attention to the role of social contextual factor, and how it plays in the quality of parent-child interactions and child development (Kwon et al.2013) caused us to also study the kind of task & child’s social emotional competence will have an impact on how engaged they are during activities. We hypothesized that

Method

Participants

Seven mothers were selected along with their children. The children’s ages ranged from thirteen months old to twenty-four months old. The participating mothers were all biological parents to their children. The mothers also lived within the same household as the children. 22 coders were also selected. Participating coders were all students selected from the College of Staten Island.

Apparatus

In the experiment, parents and toddlers were assigned two different activity settings. Parents and toddlers were either put in a free play setting or a structured task setting. For the structured task setting, parents were instructed to have the toddler complete the task as much as she or he can alone or help them when needed. Parents and toddlers were given one randomly selected type of toy, big beads and a string or a book. In the free play setting, the toddlers and the parent were given a supply of toys which included a doll, a tractor truck, a phone, a bucket, and a helicopter. Parents were given no specific instructions within this setting but were expected to perform as if they are in regular play session at home.

Design/Procedure

Parents and their toddlers were selected at random via invitation from the College of Staten Island. Interactions between both the parent and toddler were studied by observation of the behaviors that came about during free-play sessions and structured task sessions. This experiment took place within the comfort of their homes, this was to ensure that outside sources would not affect the toddler or parent’s behavior. This experiment used a 3×2 between-subjects design, with independent variable of age and type of play style. Our study consisted of multiple outcome variables like, the attachment style, positive emotions displayed by toddler, and the reaction time of toddler.

Data Coding

Throughout this experiment we measured for three variables, toddler engagement times, the toddler’s positive emotions, and the toddler’s attachment style. We determined the toddler’s engagement times by observing the amount the toddlers disengaged from free play and the structured tasks. To distinguish between engagement and disengagement, we stated that in order for the toddler to be engaged, the toddler must be physically and visually active with the toys and tasks supplied. Next we observed the toddler’s positive emotional responses in both free play and structured play settings with their mothers. This was measured on a using coding sheet which ask coders to tally the frequency of smiling, touching, giggling and signaling. We measured and observed the toddler’s attachment style using a coding sheet. We asked coders to tally attachment behaviors they noticed during their observation. Coders were asked to tally contact/interaction seeking (secure attachment), contact/interaction maintaining (secure attachment), and contact/interaction avoidance (insecure attachment).

Analysis Plan

A 2(Free-play, Structured task) x2(Secure, Insecure) ANOVA was conducted to test the effects of attachment. An independent sample t-test was conducted to test engagement time and age. A correlations test was also conducted to test engagement time and interaction sum. We conducted a 2(Free-play, Structured task) x2(High, Low) ANOVA to test the social emotional competence and engagement.

Results

Effects of Attachment

A 2(Free-play, Structured task) x2(Secure, Insecure) ANOVA was conducted to test if the type of task and attachment have a sig. effect on engagement time. There is no sig. main effect for task, F(1,18)=1.616, p=.220. There is no sig. main effect for attachment, F(1,18)=.027, p=.870. There is no sign. interaction for task and attachment, F(1,18),=.628, p=.439. See figure 1.

Engagement Time and Age

The independent samples t-test revealed that there was no significant difference between 13 months (M =.6156, SD = .25447) and 24 months (M =.7908, SD = .18594; t(20) = -1.871, p =.076) on engagement time. See figure 2.

Engagement Time and Interaction Sum

A correlation was conducted to test the engagement times and interaction sum, (r(22) = .341, p=.121) and did not reach significance.  See figure 3.

Social Emotional Competence and Engagement

A 2(Free-play, Structured task) x2(High, Low) ANOVA to test if the social emotional competence and type of tasks have a significant effect on engagement time. There is no sig. main effect for Task, F(1,18)=2.094, p=.165. There is no sig. main effect for social emotional competence, F(1,18)=.195, p=.664. There is no sig. interaction for social emotional competence and task, F(1,18)=1.247, p=.279.  See figure 4.

Discussion

Our study examined how a toddler’s attachment style, emotional behaviors and child’s engagement differ across different activity settings (free play vs. structured task).

References

Last Name, F. M. (Year). Article Title. Journal Title, Pages From – To.

Last Name, F. M. (Year). Book Title. City Name: Publisher Name

Dawson, G., & Ashman, S. B. (2000). On the origins of a vulnerability to depression: The influence of the early social environment on the development of psychobio­ logical systems related to risk for affective disorder. In The Effects of Adversity on Neurobehavioral Development: Minnesota Symposia on Child Psychology (Vol. 31, pp. 245–278). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.

Putallaz, M., & Heflin, A. H. (1990). Parent-child interaction.

Peer rejection in childhood, 189.

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