PARENTS' INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR 8-MONTH-OLD INFANTS IN TWO-PERSON AND THREE-PERSON GROUPS

<p>To investigate parents' behavior in the triad (mother-father-infant) as compared to the dyad setting (mother-infant or father-infant), 20 families with 8-month-old infants were videotaped in a seminaturalistic laboratory setting. The Greenspan-Lieberman Observation System was used. Analysis revealed unexpected increases in overall and in affectionate parental behavior in the triad. Additionally, both mothers and fathers were more contingent to male infants in the dyad and to female infants in the triad. Other findings include (a) communication between parents was associated with decreased ongoing infant-directed interaction; and (b) more time alone with the infant was associated with decreased affectionate behavior, while more communication between parents was associated with increased affection toward the infant. The increases in parental behavior in the triad are discussed in terms of the characteristics of this population. It is concluded that setting and subject variables may significantly influence the manner in which parents interact with their infants.</p>