Caregiver-child interactions in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States

This study reports the results of an investigation of the contact stimulation between caregivers and their children in 409 dyads (38 in Japan; 100 in Taiwan; and 271 in the United States). An instrument was used to record quantitative and qualitative data of the dyads in the three countries. A time-sampling procedure of 1 minute of observation and 1 minute of recording, with a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes, per dyad was used for data collection. The findings indicate significant differences at the p = 0.0001 level among the three cultural groups on the following variables: proximity, clothing, soothing, playing with the child, reading to the child, holding the child, and behavior toward a sleeping child.