Interactional Synchrony and Child Gender Differences in Dyadic and Triadic Family Interactions

Based on family systems theory, our objectives were to examine the association between dyadic parent-child interactional synchrony (mother-child and father-child) and triadic mother-father-child interactional synchrony and the effect of the child's gender on the family interactional synchrony at the child's third year. Forty-three low-income Brazilian families (mother, father, and child) were observed in free play interaction. Multidimension assessments of the degree of dyadic and triadic interactional synchronies were made (interpersonal distance, visual and body orientation, play involvement, and shared affect). Results indicated that father-child dyadic interaction was more strongly associated with triadic family interaction than mother-child interaction. Furthermore, father-daughter dyads and triads with girls were more attuned than all other family compositions. Taken together, these results expand research in the field and suggest that fathers may have a greater impact on child gender development than previously thought. Our findings also add empirical evidence to the unique contribution of the triadic family context for understanding of parental roles and family dynamics.