From pregnancy to the 9th month: the development of early interactive-relational competencies of the child in the family context

The study is focused on the “father-mother-infant” primary triangle, which starts developing during pregnancy with the co-parental interaction, and has a specific role on the early infant’s interactive development. Several studies have demonstrated links between the co-parental interactions in pregnancy and the quality of the early adult-child interactions (McHale, 2007). The research aimed to investigate: a) the characteristics of co-parenting in pregnancy with the prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP, Corboz-Warnery and Fivaz-Depeursinge, 2001); b) the patterns of stability and change of early triadic interactions from 4° to 9° month of the infant with the postnatal Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP; Fivaz-Depeursinge and Corboz-Warnery, 1999); c) the role and/or the influence of co-parental interaction on the development of mother-father-child interactions in the first year of child. 70 non-referred primiparous families were recruited at child-birth courses. Observational data were collected at time 1 (7th month of pregnancy) by the prenatal LTP, and at postnatal times 2 and 3 (when infants were four and nine months of age) by the postnatal LTP. Collected data show good reliability of the LTP coding and a consistent factorial structure. The analyses highlight an improvement of the family interactions over the first year: the quality of triadic family interactions increases from pregnancy to parenthood. The adult interactive capacities in pregnancy represent an interactive matrix for the construction of family relations during the child’ first year and may be considered as a central factor in the infant’s development of early triadic interactive abilities.