Abstract

Background. The analysis of interaction between an adult and a child as well as the definition of criteria and conditions of a child’s development, constitute theoretical basis for sustaining family resources, which is especially important for the early stage of ontogenesis. 

Objective. The aim of the study is to describe the characteristics of interaction within the dyad “mother — early age child with developmental disabilities (resulting from neurological pathology)”, as well as to construct a typology of interaction and to determine the conditions of developing interaction for young children. 

Sample. The study involved dyads “mother-child of early age.” Comparison sample (n = 51) consisted of dyads with children of normotypic development (NT), the average age 24.8 months. The main sample (n = 54) included dyads with children with neurological pathology (NP), the average age 25.2 months. 

Methods. Video observation of mother and child interaction in the process of joint activity with a set of toys was used as the research method. The data of primary analysis of video materials in accordance with the author’s scheme were subjected to secondary analysis (assessment of differences between groups, correlation and factor analysis). 

Results. 4 types of interaction in the dyad “mother — early age child” are singled out. The types differ in the parameters such as: position of the mother in the interaction, level of dialogic interaction, content of the actions of mother and child with their influence on each other, creation of the zone of proximal development. The optimal type of interaction that is favourable for the development of the child is characterized by the activity of both the mother and the child, the involvement and productivity of the child. The type that could be regarded as favourable with certain restrictions is the type called “child dominance”, in which the activity of the child prevails, but the activity of the mother is insufficient. The unfavourable types are “mother dominance”, characterised by the predominance of mother’s activity, the obsessive-violent maternal position and the subordinate position of the child, and the parallel type, in which there is no joint activity of mother and child. 

Conclusion. The study established the relationship between the mother’s actions in relation to the child and his/her productivity and activity, characterised the optimal type of interaction, which creates conditions for the development of the child and the correction of its deficiency. The task for future research is to develop programmes that could be used to optimise mother-child interaction in those cases when the implementation of developing interaction is not entirely successful; such programs need to take into account the particular type of interaction within the dyad.