[A guide for the evaluation of adult-infant dialogue (GEDAN)]

The guide presented in this article has evolved on the basis of the observation of early interactions, at two different levels: microanalytic, on one hand, and macrodescriptive, on the other hand. The sample included 48 dyads from 16 clinical and non-clinical families. Elaborated within a systems approach, this guide considers both the dyadic unit and the individual contributions of the partners; likewise it includes subjective as well as objective data. The procedure involves distinct steps and results in the diagnosis of interaction according to three modes: consensual, conflictual and paradoxical. The instrument itself, the data concerning its validation through microanalysis as well as the instructions are described for the trained observer-reader.