Dynamic infant-parent affect coupling during the face-to-face/still-face

Emotion. 2010 Feb;10(1):101-14. doi: 10.1037/a0017824.

Abstract

We examined dynamic infant-parent affect coupling using the Face-to-Face/Still-Face (FFSF). The sample included 20 infants whose older siblings had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD-sibs) and 18 infants with comparison siblings (COMP-sibs). A series of mixed effects bivariate autoregressive models was used to represent the self-regulation and interactive dynamics of infants and parents during the FFSF. Significant bidirectional affective coupling was found between infants and parents, with infant-to-parent coupling being more prominent than parent-to-infant coupling. Further analysis of within-dyad dynamics revealed ongoing changes in concurrent infant-parent linkages both within and between different FFSF episodes. The importance of considering both inter- and intradyad differences is discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect*
  • Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / psychology
  • Face
  • Father-Child Relations
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Models, Psychological
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Object Attachment*
  • Parent-Child Relations*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Siblings / psychology