Pairing Attachment Theory and Social Learning Theory in Video-Feedback
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Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Pairing attachment theory and social learning theory in video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting$,$$ Femmie Juffer, Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg and Marinus H van IJzendoorn Video-feedback Intervention to promote[87_TD$IF] Positive Parenting and model, including themes and intervention procedure, is Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) is a social-learning and presented. attachment-based intervention using video feedback to support sensitive parenting and at the same time setting firm Empirical studies and meta-analyses have shown that limits. Empirical studies and meta-analyses have shown that sensitive parenting is the key determinant to promote sensitive parenting is the key determinant to promote secure secure child–parent attachment relationships and that child–parent attachment relationships and that adequate adequate parental discipline contributes to fewer parental discipline contributes to fewer behavior problems in behavior problems in children. Building on this evi- children. Building on this evidence, VIPP-SD has been tested in dence, VIPP-SD has been tested in various populations various populations of at-risk parents and vulnerable children of at-risk parents and vulnerable children, as well as in (in the age range of zero to six years), as well as in the context of the context of child care. In a meta-analysis on twelve child care. In twelve randomized controlled trials including randomized controlled trials the effectiveness of 1116 parents and caregivers, VIPP-SD proved to be effective in VIPP-SD in promoting sensitive caregiving is examined, promoting sensitive caregiving, while positive social–emotional while positive social–emotional child outcomes are also child outcomes were also found. reviewed. Address Leiden University, Centre for Child & Family Studies, Leiden, The The use of video feedback in Netherlands attachment-based interventions Since the formulation of attachment theory [1,2], a large Corresponding author: Juffer, Femmie ([email protected]) number of attachment-based interventions have been designed and tested [3].[87_TD$IF] From the beginning this Current Opinion in Psychology 2017, 15:189–194 development has been accompanied by the use of visual This review comes from a themed issue on Parenting media like films and videos, first to better understand attachment in children and then to support attachment Edited by Marinus H Van IJzendoorn and Marian J Bakermans- Kranenburg security in children [4]. Films played an important role in helping to understand attachment when attachment theory For a complete overview see the Issue and the Editorial was developed about half a century ago, with for example Available online 3rd April 2017 the famous black-white films of James and Joyce http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.03.012 Robertson (e.g., A Two-year-old Goes to Hospital [5]). 2352-250X/ã 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. The role of video in helping to support attachment started later and profited from the increasing availability of small video cameras in the 1980s [4]. Video is now widely used in a large variety of interventions and home-visiting programs. In many intervention programs the method of video feedback is used: filming parent–child interactions Introduction and at a later time reviewing the videotape with the This review focuses on Video-feedback Intervention to [87_TD$IF] parent or caregiver. promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). VIPP-SD is based on attachment theory We examined the effectiveness of attachment-based and social learning theory, using video feedback to sup- interventions in a comprehensive meta-analysis including port sensitive parenting and at the same time setting firm 70 studies and 88 interventions on parental sensitivity or limits. The use of video feedback as an indispensable infant attachment [3]. Short-term, interaction-focused feature of VIPP-SD is described and the intervention interventions appeared to be most successful in $ This article is partly based on Juffer and Steele [4] and Juffer et al. [18]. $$ Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg (VICI grant) and Marinus van IJzendoorn (SPINOZA prize) were supported by research awards from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. www.sciencedirect.com Current Opinion in Psychology 2017, 15:189–194 190 Parenting promoting sensitive parenting and children’s attachment The VIPP-SD program is both standardized and security. We also found that interventions with video individualized, meaning that interveners work from a feedback were more effective in improving sensitive standard protocol but attune the guidelines from the parenting than interventions without this technique, protocol to the specific parent–child dyad, resulting in supporting the power of the use of video for parenting individualized video feedback [7]. Each intervention interventions. visit starts with filming parent–child interaction and continues with video feedback based on the recordings There are several reasons why video is an effective and of the previous visit. VIPP-SD is home-based and short- widely used method in attachment-based interventions term: the interventions are implemented in the home or [4]. First, video enables very precise observations of even childcare setting in a modest number of visits, usually six subtle behaviors of children and parents. Second, an sessions. VIPP-SD is implemented in the home or intervener can use ‘Speaking for the child’ by providing childcare setting, because the intervention focuses on ‘subtitles’ to the child’s behavior, emotions, and reinforcing naturally occurring parent–child interactions expressions shown on the video [6,7]. Parents are thus in daily situations. stimulated to see their child’s perspective, and consequently their observational skills may improve. VIPP-SD can be used in a broad range of clinical and Accurate observation of the child’s behavior is one of non-clinical families (with children in the age range of the crucial elements of Mary Ainsworth’s [2] construct of zero to six years) and in childcare settings. Adaptations in parental sensitivity. Third, the intervener can show and terms of observation settings and feedback have been reinforce positive moments of parent–child interaction, made for optimal fit with parents or children at risk (e.g., thus empowering the parent to react to the child in a children with autism), specific families (e.g., minority prompt and adequate way—the other essential element families), and home-based or center daycare. Interveners of Ainsworth’s construct of sensitivity [7]. Finally, work with a manualized protocol, after a formal training through reviewing videos of daily interactions with and supervised practice. Building a trusting relationship their child parents may be stimulated to reflect on their between the parent and intervener during the interven- parenting behavior, including the emergence of ‘coercive tion is of paramount importance: A relationship in which cycles’ [8], requiring limit setting. the caregiver is recognized as an ‘expert’ of this child and empowered with positive parenting skills and experiences. VIPP-SD: intervention model The use of video feedback is a key feature of It should be noted that the VIPP-SD program with its Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive modest number of sessions is not and cannot be a panacea Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). for all parental or family problems. In fact, VIPP-SD is not VIPP-SD is based on an integration of attachment theory developed to cure parents’ socio-emotional problems but [1,2] and social learning theory, particularly coercion to enhance the quality of parent–child interactions, even theory [8]. Meta-analytic research has confirmed that though the parent may be suffering from social or securely attached children show more social competence psychological issues. Therefore, dependent on the and fewer externalizing and internalizing behavior population to serve, a useful framework is to combine problems than insecurely attached children VIPP-SD with other treatment modalities. For example, [9,10,11,12[87_TD$IF] ]. While sensitivity is the central parenting in a study on mothers with eating disorders, the mothers concept in attachment theory (see Ref. [13] for an exam- not only received VIPP to support parent–child ple of an attachment-based intervention), coercion theory interactions during mealtime, but also a guided cognitive emphasizes how ineffective parental discipline strategies behavior self-help manual to address their eating result in increasingly difficult and challenging child problems [17]. VIPP-SD can thus be used as a behavior (‘coercive cycles’ [8]). Instead of rewarding stand-alone intervention to support vulnerable families negative child reactions by giving in to difficult child or to enhance professional skills in child care, but it can behavior, parents should reinforce children’s positive also be combined with other or longer treatment. behaviors and set rules and limits in adequate ways (see Refs. [14–16] for examples[89_TD$IF] of intervention studies targeting challenging child behavior). In the VIPP-SD VIPP-SD themes and sessions program concepts from both attachment theory and Based on attachment theory [1,2] themes for sensitive coercion theory are used during the video-feedback parenting were developed, and based on coercion theory intervention. The program can be used without the [8] themes for sensitive discipline were formulated.