Related Experiment Videos
[Interactions of the infant with its partners: evaluation of preventive and therapeutic approaches]
1Unité des Petits, Fondation de Rothschild, Paris.
Insights
This study explores infant interactions on behavioral, affective, and fantasy levels, emphasizing the infant's active role in transactional relationships. It proposes a new classification for interactive pathology, aiding early intervention and therapeutic changes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Infant Psychiatry
- Transactional Analysis
Context:
- Parent-infant relationships are complex, involving mutual influence.
- Understanding infant development requires examining interactions beyond mere behavior.
Purpose:
- To analyze parent-infant relationship dynamics through a transactional lens.
- To propose a novel classification of interactive pathology in infants.
- To synthesize international research for a new clinical perspective.
Summary:
- Infant interactions are examined across behavior, affect, and fantasy levels.
- Transactional theories highlight the infant's active role in shaping relationships.
- Assessment methods are reviewed for clinical and research applications.
Impact:
- Introduces a new model for understanding relational disturbances in infants.
- Facilitates early detection and intervention for infant mental health.
- Promotes an empathic approach leading to significant therapeutic advancements.
Abstract:
Interactions between the infant and its partners are defined and described on three levels: behavior, affect, fantasy, with a special focus on the functioning of the infant. The dynamics of the parent/infant relationships are analyzed along transactional theories: the infant and its partners influence each other in a constant process of developing and changing. Together with acknowledging the baby's active role in the relation, we seek better understanding of how the infant shapes up throughout transactions. Different assessment methods of the interactions are analyzed both within a clinical framework and a research framework, and examples of assessment format are given. The transactional perspective in clinical practice with the infant introduces a new model for understanding the pathogenesis of relational disturbances. It appears necessary to conceptualize a specific nosology of interactive pathology, beyond the reference to parental or infant pathology; we thus propose a classification of interactive disturbances by integrating the three levels (behavior, affect, fantasy). The aim of this investigation of interactions, based on an attempt to synthetize anglo-saxon and european research in the field, is to outline a new perspective in clinical concepts and practice which is not solely focused on the description of behaviors in infant interactions with its partners. This viewpoint, resolutely psychopathological in its orientation, implies an empathic approach which leads to important therapeutic changes and legitimizes early preventive interventions.