Promoting positive interactions between mothers and their at-risk young children

This study explores the impact of an exploratory, minimalist intervention based on the principles of social communication training that aimed at promoting positive interactions between mother and child and increasing child initiations in mother-child communication. Encouraging data indicated a shift towards a more positive interaction style between mother and child. Time-series analyses indicated that at the beginning of the intervention period mothers were mainly responsible for initiating interactions with their children. By the end of the intervention period, children were initiating positive interactions and mothers were responding in like fashion.