In Sync and in Control: A Meta‐Analysis of Parent–Child Positive Behavioral Synchrony and Youth Self‐Regulation

Abstract

A growing body of research has highlighted the connection between parent-child positive behavioral synchrony and youth self-regulation; however, this association has yet to be the focus of a meta-analytic review. Therefore, the present meta-analysis aimed to estimate the magnitude of the relation between parent-child positive behavioral synchrony and youth self-regulation and to identify moderator variables that can explain the variability in the degree of this association across the extant literature. A thorough literature search of two major databases, in addition to scanning the reference sections of relevant articles, yielded a total of 10 peer-reviewed articles (24 effect sizes, 658 children) that were eligible for inclusion in the current meta-analysis. Results from the overall mean effect size calculation using a random-effects model indicated that parent-child positive behavioral synchrony was significantly, positively correlated with youth self-regulation and the effect size was medium. Children's ages at the time of synchrony and self-regulation measurements, as well as parent gender, served as significant moderator variables. Findings from the present meta-analysis can help to refine existing theoretical models on the role of the parent-child relationship in youth adjustment. Prevention and intervention efforts may benefit from an increased emphasis on building parent-child positive behavioral synchrony to promote youth self-regulation and thus children's overall well-being.

Parent–Adolescent Reciprocity in a Conflictual Situation Predicts Peer Interaction in Adolescents With ASD

“…A possible explanation for this phenomenon could be related to a lack of synchrony between the parent and the adolescent with ASD. Parent-child synchrony is defined as a mutually regulated and harmonious interaction [Harrist & Waugh, 2002], in which both partners are attuned to one another's verbal and nonverbal behaviors and emotion responses [Davis, Bilms, & Suveg, 2017;Leclère et al, 2014], leading to a fluent dialogue. Parent-child synchrony is an important developmental mechanism which is linked to long-term social adjustment and communication skills in children with TD (Feldman, 2010;Leclère et al, 2014] and with ASD [Baker et al, 2015;Siller & Sigman, 2002].…”

The Neuroaffective Triangle and Organising Intervention as a Conceptual Framework for Family Therapy

“…The development of the neural system is a dynamic and self‐organising process, which takes place at multiple levels unfolding from the prenatal period until adulthood. The effect of any given experience will depend upon the nervous system's capacity to modify the experience (Davis et al., ; Hartman & Belsky, ). The structures of the brain dealing with emotions, empathy, sympathy, and mentalising need stimulation from synchronising with other human beings, which is why psychotherapy probably has an impact on brain structures relevant for personality development (Beebe, Knoblauch, Rustin, & Sorter, ).…”

“…Within the framework of NADP, it is important to realise that no method works for everybody, and to understand that much therapy works at a nonverbal level (Stern, ; Seikkula et al., ). According to NADP, the structures of the brain dealing with emotions, empathy, sympathy, and mentalising require stimulation from synchronisation with other human beings, which is why psychotherapy can have impact on relevant brain structures for personality development when the therapist successfully attunes with the client (Davis et al., ; Hart, ). Psychotherapy is about providing a targeted intervention to a dysregulated emotional system, and the effort should aim to tailor the intervention according to the client's or child's specific need to develop self‐regulating strategies, the family's need to become functional, and to support a healthy development in the child (ibid.…”

“…In the case with Sarah and her parents, the intervention should focus on both bottom‐up and top‐down processes. Intervention to bottom‐up processes should be designed to help Sarah and her parents with arousal regulation, synchronisation, and affective attunement (Davis et al., ; Lohrasbe & Ogden, ).…”

“…The inspiration for NADP rests on attachment and object relation theory where the child forms internal representations of attachment experiences and other life experiences, and cannot develop outside of a relationship (Bowlby, ; Winnicott, ; Hart, , , ). Consequently, children's psychological difficulties rarely reside in the child alone but are embedded in the relationship between a unique child and an environment that is incapable of supporting the experiences necessary for the child to self‐regulate and develop more advanced levels of mental organisation (Davis, Bilms, & Suveg, ). NADP also rests on the interpersonal neurobiological understanding that attachment relationships are formative.…”