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Assessing parent-infant interaction during the perinatal period. Some cautions
1Section on Social and Emotional Development, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Clinics in Perinatology
|July 1, 1998
Summary
Pediatricians should understand that early childhood experiences profoundly shape development. This article critiques the medical model
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Professional groups recommend increased pediatrician focus on parental behavior with newborns.
- This approach may stem from a misunderstanding of child development.
- It can create unrealistic expectations for identifying and resolving parenting issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the impact of early experiences on child development.
- To contrast this with a perspective misapplying the medical model to behavioral development.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis.
- Examination of developmental processes.
- Critique of the medical model's application to child behavior.
Main Results:
- Early experiences are crucial and complex in shaping development.
- The medical model oversimplifies behavioral development and parental issues.
- A nuanced understanding of developmental trajectories is essential.
Conclusions:
- Pediatricians need a deeper understanding of developmental science.
- Relying solely on the medical model for parenting issues is inadequate.
- Focus should shift towards understanding the complexities of early childhood development.
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