Abstract

The quality of dyadic and triadic family interactions during early childhood significantly influences social-emotional development and childhood mental health. Video feedback is a valuable psychotherapeutic tool for intervention in the early family. A brief intervention using this technique, aimed at mother-infant-father triads with difficulties in social-emotional development, was developed. Eighty triads, composed of heterosexual couples between 20 and 43 years of age for mothers, between 22 and 54 years of age for fathers, and between one and three years of age for children, participated. The results show a significant increase in the quality of triadic interactions (Wilks'λ = 0.735, F (1, 77) = 27,794; p < 0.000) and co-parenting (Wilks'λ = 0.098, F (1, 77) = 8.395; p =0.005) as well as parental sensitivity (Wilks'λ = 0.661, F (1,77) = 39.42; p < 0.000) and sensitivity in the mothers (Wilks'λ= 0.585, F (1, 77) = 54,706, p < 0.000) who were the object of the intervention. The fathers significantly reduced their nonresponsive behavior (Wilks 'λ = 0.903, F (1, 77) = 8.441; p = 0.005), and the mothers reduced their controlling behavior (Wilks' λ = 0.916, F (1, 77) = 7.084; p = 0.009).