Observations of ParentChild Interactions

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Observations of Parent-Child Interactions

• The Functional Emotional Assessment Scale

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Components to measure

• Social engagement including sootheability,
  attention, developmental competence
• Contingency of responses reading of social cues
• Richness of interactive content range and
  content of play
• Adaptability of dyad

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Scales Available

• Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training
  (NCAST) Teaching and Feeding Scales (Barnard)
• Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA)
  (Clark)
• Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS)
  (Greenspan, DeGangi Wieder)

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Stages measured by FEAS

• Regulation and interest in world
• Forming relationships (Attachment)
• Intentional two-way communication
• Complex sense of self Behavioral organization
  and elaboration
• Representational capacities
• Emotional thinking

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Method of Structuring Play Observations

• Present each set of toys for 5 minutes
• Instruct caregiver to play as would at home
• SYMBOLIC PLAY Infants and toddlers- dolls,
  tableware, cars, telephone, toy boat
• Preschoolers doll house, action figures,
  supermarket

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Method of Structuring Play Observations (Contd)

• TACTILE TOYS Infants and toddlers firm
  porcupine toys, koosh balls, furry puppets,
  paintbrush, heavy toy with balls on spokes
• Preschoolers Dried beans with cups, tableware,
  furry puppets, action figures buried in rice

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Method of Structuring Play Observations (Contd)

• VESTIBULAR Spinning board, large inflatable
  bolster, plastic dome that tips Older children
  use sensory integrative equipment or playground
  equipment
• Modify choice of toys to account fo cultural
  background

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Functional Emotional Assessment Scale

• Designed for infants and children from 7 months
  through 4 years
• Measures infants core emotional and social
  capacities at each stage of development
• Measures parents capacity to support childs
  developmental needs
• Conducted in 15 minutes of play

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FEAS (Contd)

• Toys used should include both symbolic and
  sensory materials
• Ask parent to play as they would at home
• Following parent-child play, therapist may elicit
  certain play behaviors from child for fuller
  assessment

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FEAS Scoring

• Obtain score for each stage of childs and
  parents emotional development
• Differentiate responses in different play
  conditions (symbolic vs. sensory play)
• Scoring for parent is used as a guideline for
  intervention

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Studies on FEAS

• Validated on 4 samples normal, regulatory
  disordered, pervasive developmental disorder,
  multi-problem families (substance abuse)
• Inter-observer reliability
• Domain validity among experts
• Concurrent validity with other instruments

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Mother-infant interactions in R.D. sample

• MOTHERS SHOWED More anticontingent responses
• Less symbolic play
• More language, less gestural
• Flat affect
• Less movement stimulation in vestibular condition

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Mother-infant Interaction Study

• INFANTS SHOWED more mouthing
• More fussing
• More noncontingent responses
• More aimless wandering
• Flat affect
• More aggression
• Less language and little reciprocal play