Dynamic analyses of mother-child interactions in functional and dysfunctional dyads: A synergetic approach

Describes the application of a new analytical approach (derived from synerg etics, a complex dynamic systems theory) to home observational data of moth er-child interactions in average dyads and dyads with children referred for disruptive behavior problems at home and school (n = 11 in each group). Re sults show that (1) the two groups differed in their daily interactions in predictable ways, and (2) the most frequent patterns of interactions observ ed in the two groups brought them back repeatedly to behave in similar ways toward each other. The findings are in keeping with a body of literature o n mother-child interactions. However, they add to it by providing multivari ate, graphical representations of these interactions and by offering a conc eptual framework within which to move from an observational to an inferenti al level of analysis. At that level, the transactional processes that are c haracteristic of functional and dysfunctional relationships may become appa rent.