The Research Unit was set up in 1990 to develop a Research Programme on the axis of the relational matrix constituted by the members of the family (fundamentally the mother/father and child dyad). In this nucleus with a micro-social level, two fronts of research activity stand out:
Parental behaviours, analysable on the one hand in terms of their sensitivity, consistency or coherence with child behaviour and, on the other hand, in relation to their degree of competence with respect to their suitability for optimal child development. Second, child behaviours according to the child's age and developmental goals and development of psychological (mal)adjustment.
- In early childhood, these are reflected in the quality of attachment, as it reflects the mental representation of the interaction history with the primary caregiver. The study of predictors of attachment is paramount.
- From a micro-social perspective, the microcosm of real-time interaction takes place in a context with various types of factors: marital conflict, sibling conflict, emotional and affective problems, socio-economic problems, addictions, etc. These variables also represent risk factors for the development of antisocial behaviour by children and child abuse by parents.
One aspect of family conflict is the processes of break-up, separation and divorce, and the implications of marital conflict on child well-being. When parents maintain a very aversive relationship in front of children or use them in their conflict dynamics, the psychological impact on children is very harmful. These processes and conflicts can be emotionally abusive experiences for children. The study of the impact of these family breakdown processes is also an area of the Unit's research activity. The Unit has developed observational instruments for dyadic (mother-infant) and family (older children) interaction as part of the research activity. Finally, the development of research-derived treatment and prevention programmes has required programme evaluation activities.
Notes on its origins. It was created by Prof. M. Ángeles Cerezo in 1990 and registered as UV-0309. Researchers at different stages of training and Professors have belonged to it. It has received distinguished visiting professors: Prof. Robert G. Wahler, University of Tennessee, in 1991, and Prof. Joel R. Milner, Northern University, DeKalb, Illinois, 1994. He maintains a direct relationship with Prof. Tom Dishion from the Oregon Social Learning Center, currently at Arizona State University. There are connections with University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland and Prof. Eilis Hennesey, Director of its School of Psychology, where Prof. Cerezo was an Honorary Visiting Professor for 5 years. These links have allowed members of the team, during their training, to carry out stays in these research centres. In 2012-13 Prof. Patricia Alvarenga, University of Bahia in Brazil, carried out her POST-DOC, funded by her country, to learn our coding and interactive analysis techniques in her studies of child socialisation. The Unit has received students: from the USA on Whittle Scholarship or Fulbright scholarships ranging from 3 months to one year; from Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) in Sao Paula, Luiza Machado dos Santos, funded by her country, to train in early interaction coding. She is currently passing this on to her group led by Dr. Olga Piazentin Rolim, Department of Psychology - postgraduate programme Developmental Psychology.
- To determine interactive profiles of abusive/non-abusive parents, identify factors that maintain coercive processes, maternal indiscrimination.
- Definition of appropriate parenting practices in cognitive, affective and behavioural dimensions; strategies to promote competent parenting.
- Early interaction; development of asynchronous mother-child patterns, their relationship with attachment quality and their effects on coercive processes.
- To transfer research results to prevention, detection and intervention in families and childhood.
- Inconsistent socialisation, coercive processes, family interaction and child maltreatment
Coercive family relationships. The development of child behavioural problems. Escalation and child abuse. Study of (in)competent parenting practices; failures in child socialisation. Victimisation, psychological maladjustment and mediators. Case studies and intervention.
- Observational methodology for family interaction
Instrument development: The ongoing evaluation of the psychometric properties of the CITMI-R and the SOC-III in their English, Spanish and Portuguese versions. Development of optimal methods for the training of coders. Dissemination through new media among researchers and practitioners.
- Processes of family breakdown and/or divorce: impact on children
Separation is a highly stressful event that requires the family to adapt to the changes brought about by the break-up. When parents maintain a very conflictive relationship with children or use them in their confrontational dynamics, emotional abuse occurs with adverse effects.
- Early mother-child interaction and infant mental health
Early interactive patterns associated with (in)secure attachment to detect predictors and design counselling/intervention. Sequential analysis techniques and non-linear dynamic analysis. Maternal sensitivity to cues. Non-contingent maternal behaviour. Contextual factors.
- Programme Evaluation
Implementation and evaluation studies of the Parent-Child Psychological Support Programme (PAPMI) and the Parent-Child Psychological Support Programme (PCPS).
- PONS SALVADOR, GEMMA
- PDI-Titular d'Universitat
- CEREZO JIMENEZ, M.ANGELES
- PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
- TRENADO SANTAREN, ROSA MARIA
- PDI-Prof. Permanent Laboral Ppl
- Director/a Titulacio Master Oficial
Partners
- Patricia Alvarenga - Universidade Federal da Bahia (Brasil)
- Purificación Sierra García - Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Madrid)
- ExpandirPONS SALVADOR, GEMMAPDI-Titular d'Universitat
Blasco Ibáñez Campus
Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21
46010 València (Valencia)
- PONS SALVADOR, GEMMA
- PDI-Titular d'Universitat
