Developing the mother-child interaction inventory and uncovering mother-child interaction profiles in Türkiye

In this study, we aimed to design a mother-report inventory to comprehensively assess mother-child interaction in the 0-3 age range, focusing on maternal and child interaction behavior and mutual attunement.

Our research involved three stages, with 1061 mothers and their 0-3-year-old children: 45 in the pilot study, 498 in exploratory factor analysis and latent profile analysis, and 518 in confirmatory factor analysis.

The Mother-Child Interaction Inventory emerged as a valid and reliable measurement tool, comprising three distinct scales: 1) Maternal Interaction Behavior Questionnaire with sensitive structuring, hostility, and intrusiveness subscales; 2) Child Interaction Behavior Questionnaire with emotional-behavioral involvement and child characteristics; and 3) Mutual Attunement Questionnaire with reciprocity and problem-solving subscales. Latent profile analysis revealed four mother-child interaction profiles, indicating different characteristics in maternal and child interaction behavior and mutual attunement, categorized as "Excellent interaction quality," "Average interaction quality 1", "Average interaction quality 2," and "Poor interaction quality."

The study underscores the significance of maternal and child interaction behavior and mutual attunement in determining the quality of mother-child interaction. The mother-report The Mother-Child Interaction Inventory is a functional measurement tool to evaluate interaction separately and holistically, unveiling mother-child interaction profiles in the Turkish context.

The practical implications of this research are significant for health professionals, educators, and stakeholders working with children and families. The Mother-Child Interaction Inventory provides a valuable tool for assessing interaction dynamics, offering insights that can be directly applied to improve mother-child interaction.