A day in the life of 12 toddlers: studying children’s everyday interactions to inform parent-child interaction therapy

Parent child interaction (PCI) interventions are often used in speech and language therapy for children who present as late talkers (Law et al., 2019). This involves working with parents to modify their interactions in ways thought to be conducive to language development (Falkus et al., 2016). Concerns have been raised about the cultural and ecological validity of PCI interventions, as the strategies promoted are based on observations of mainly white, middle-class parents interacting with their typically developing children in laboratory settings (van Kleeck, 1994). The aim of this study was to explore the interactions of a diverse range of children during their naturalistic everyday activities, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Twelve typically developing children aged between 2 ½ and 4 years old and their parents were recruited via nurseries and cultural organisations in a UK city. Recruitment targeted diversity in terms socioeconomic status, cultural background and family structure. On a day of their choice, parents took photographs of their child’s activities and children wore an automated recording device. Parents then participated in an interview discussing their child’s interactions and activities. Results from the automated recording analysis were collated. The activities which led to the highest amount of interaction across families included book reading and structured play. Subsequent analysis of the parent interviews revealed a complex interplay of factors contributing to variation in children’s everyday activities and interactions. Themes included parents’ priorities, the child’s characteristics and external influences from society and wider family.
While the quantitative analysis suggests that certain activities may be conducive to parent-child interaction, qualitative results reveal a more complex picture, with variation in how families engaged in activities. Clinical implications for PCI intervention will be discussed, including the importance of considering the socio-cultural context of parent-child interaction.