ERIC Number: EJ1410327
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1750-8592
EISSN: EISSN-1750-8606
How Parent-Child Brain-to-Brain Synchrony Can Inform the Study of Child Development
Angelica Alonso; S. Alexa McDorman; Rachel R. Romeo
Child Development Perspectives, v18 n1 p26-35 2024
It is well established that parent-child dyadic synchrony (e.g., mutual emotions, behaviors) can support development across cognitive and socioemotional domains. The advent of simultaneous two-brain "hyperscanning" (i.e., measuring the brain activity of two individuals at the same time) allows further insight into dyadic "neural synchrony." In this article, we review 16 recent studies of naturalistic, parent-child brain-to-brain synchrony, finding relations with the nature of interactions (collaborative vs. competitive, parent vs. stranger), proximal social cues (gaze, affect, touch, and reciprocity), child-level variables (irritability, self-regulation), and environmental factors (parental stress, family cohesion, and adversity). We then discuss how neural synchrony may provide a biological mechanism for refining broader theories on the developmental benefits of dyadic synchrony. We also highlight critical areas for future study, including examining synchrony trajectories longitudinally, including more diverse participants and interaction contexts, and studying caregivers beyond mothers (e.g., other family members, teachers). We conclude that neural synchrony is an exciting and important window into understanding how caregiver-child dyadic synchrony supports children's social and cognitive development.
Descriptors: Parent Child Relationship, Brain Hemisphere Functions, Child Development, Nonverbal Communication, Affective Behavior, Longitudinal Studies, Self Control, Stress Variables, Family Relationship, Correlation, Social Development, Cognitive Development
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH); National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Graduate Education (DGE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R00HD103873; 1840340