title: Making children laugh: parent-child dyadic synchrony and preschool attachment.
abstract: The current study examined whether dyadic synchrony of father-child and mother-child interactions in a playful context were associated with attachment organization in preschool children. One hundred seven children (48 boys, Mage = 46.67 months, SD = 8.57) and their mothers and fathers (counterbalanced order of lab visits) participated in a playful interaction without toys (Laughing Task procedure). Playful interactions were coded based on the degree to which the dyads demonstrated a variety of behavior representing dyadic synchrony and task management. Children's attachment behavior toward fathers and mothers was observed in a modified separation-reunion procedure adapted for the preschool period. Results demonstrate that mothers and fathers are similar in their effort to arouse and engage their child in a playful context, but mothers achieved a greater synchrony with their child. Disorganized attachment to either mother or father is linked with a lack of synchrony in dyadic interaction. Findings are in contrast with prevailing theory, suggesting that despite gender-related differences in parental playful behaviors, dyadic synchrony is equally important in both mother- and father-child relationships for the development of organized social and affectional bonds.
authors: University of Ottawa.
authors: Jean-FrançOis
authors: JF
authors: Bureau
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Yurkowski
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Schmiedel
authors: Jodi
authors: J
authors: Martin
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Moss
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Pallanca
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007845:Laughter; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010988:Play and Playthings