Infant and Family Development: From Triads to Tetrads

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Abstract
This research involves an interactional analysis of the family system as it changes with the arrival and development of a second child. In a longitudinal-observational study 16 families expecting their second child at the beginning of the study were observed over a period of 2 years in their homes. Observations consisted of a total of 26–28 videotapes (30–60 min each) per family. In addition, parental interviews dealing with biographical and child-rearing information were conducted. Data analysis involved the use of hermeneutic techniques with an emphasis on data fit and wholistic interpretation rather than early data quantification. Using such an approach, general patterns of changes in family interaction coinciding with developmental changes in the second child were delineated. The major result described here is the articulation of a three-phase process through which families progress as they change from a triadic to a tetradic system. These phases are seen to result from the interaction of structural features within the family and developmental changes in the second child.

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