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Introduction: Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDs) display several developmental impairments across various domains that impact parent–child interactions, emphasizing the need for effective early interventions. This multi-centric study aimed to evaluate the impact of video-feedback intervention (VFI) on enhancing maternal behavior (i.e., sensitivity) and socio-emotional skills (i.e., engagement and emotionality) in children with NDs during normal or stressful interactions (i.e., the Face-to-Face Still-Face, [FFSF]) paradigm. Methods: A single-cohort design with pre-(T0) and post-(T1) intervention assessment was used to evaluate 37 mother–child dyads from three units in Northern Italy. The children, aged between 6 and 24 months, had a diagnosis of ND, including psychomotor delay (n = 26) and cerebral palsy (n = 5). The VFI was administered over 6 weeks, with each session focusing on improving parents' developmental supporting behaviors and enhancing the quality of parent–child interactions. Using the Global Rating Scale coding system (GRS), child behaviors (engagement and emotionality) and maternal behavior (sensitivity) were assessed during the FFSF. Results: Analyses of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant improvement post-intervention in child engagement in the Reunion episode, with an increase in mother-directed gaze communicative gestures and positive vocalization. A paired sample t -test revealed that the mother's sensitivity significantly improves between T0 and T1 during the Reunion phase. Moreover, a higher increase in sensitive maternal behavior during the Reunion phase was associated with greater child engagement at T1 during the Reunion episode. No significant changes post-intervention were observed in the emotionality of the child. Conclusion: The VFI effectively enhanced socio-emotional skills and maternal sensitivity during parent–child interactions, particularly in recovering from interactive disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionChildren with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDs) display several developmental impairments across various domains that impact parent–child interactions, emphasizing the need for effective early interventions. This multi-centric study aimed to evaluate the impact of video-feedback intervention (VFI) on enhancing maternal behavior (i.e., sensitivity) and socio-emotional skills (i.e., engagement and emotionality) in children with NDs during normal or stressful interactions (i.e., the Face-to-Face Still-Face, [FFSF]) paradigm.MethodsA single-cohort design with pre-(T0) and post-(T1) intervention assessment was used to evaluate 37 mother–child dyads from three units in Northern Italy. The children, aged between 6 and 24 months, had a diagnosis of ND, including psychomotor delay (n = 26) and cerebral palsy (n = 5). The VFI was administered over 6 weeks, with each session focusing on improving parents’ developmental supporting behaviors and enhancing the quality of parent–child interactions. Using the Global Rating Scale coding system (GRS), child behaviors (engagement and emotionality) and maternal behavior (sensitivity) were assessed during the FFSF.ResultsAnalyses of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant improvement post-intervention in child engagement in the Reunion episode, with an increase in mother-directed gaze communicative gestures and positive vocalization. A paired sample t-test revealed that the mother’s sensitivity significantly improves between T0 and T1 during the Reunion phase. Moreover, a higher increase in sensitive maternal behavior during the Reunion phase was associated with greater child engagement at T1 during the Reunion episode. No significant changes post-intervention were observed in the emotionality of the child.ConclusionThe VFI effectively enhanced socio-emotional skills and maternal sensitivity during parent–child interactions, particularly in recovering from interactive disruptions.

The Video-Feedback Intervention (VFI) is a technique aimed at promoting positive parenting that has been found to be supportive of child development and parent–child interaction in different at-risk and clinical populations. The application of VFI with parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (ND; e.g., cerebral palsy, sensory and/or psychomotor delay, and genetic syndromes) is growing. Nonetheless, no systematic review is currently available documenting whether this type of intervention improves children’s developmental outcomes (e.g., behavioral stability and cognitive abilities), parental caregiving skills (e.g., responsive parenting), and parental emotional well-being (e.g., depressive symptomatology). In the present mini-review, 212 VFI records were retrieved from three databases (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science), and 10 papers were finally included. Abstracted information included age, diagnosis, methodological aspects (timing, setting, and themes), and child/parent outcomes. Significant improvements from pre- to post-VFI were observed in all studies. Specifically, the VFIs were significantly associated with better children developmental outcomes and parental caregiving skills. Inconsistent findings emerged for the VFI effects on parental emotional well-being. Overall, the current mini-review supports the potential effectiveness of parent-focused VFI interventions for parents of children with ND, despite the presence of open questions that need to be addressed in future clinical trials.

The Video-Feedback Intervention (VFI) is a technique aimed at promoting positive parenting that has been found to be supportive of child development and parent–child interaction in different at-risk and clinical populations. The application of VFI with parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (ND; e.g., cerebral palsy, sensory and/or psychomotor delay, and genetic syndromes) is growing. Nonetheless, no systematic review is currently available documenting whether this type of intervention improves children's developmental outcomes (e.g., behavioral stability and cognitive abilities), parental caregiving skills (e.g., responsive parenting), and parental emotional well-being (e.g., depressive symptomatology). In the present mini-review, 212 VFI records were retrieved from three databases (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science), and 10 papers were finally included. Abstracted information included age, diagnosis, methodological aspects (timing, setting, and themes), and child/parent outcomes. Significant improvements from pre- to post-VFI were observed in all studies. Specifically, the VFIs were significantly associated with better children developmental outcomes and parental caregiving skills. Inconsistent findings emerged for the VFI effects on parental emotional well-being. Overall, the current mini-review supports the potential effectiveness of parent-focused VFI interventions for parents of children with ND, despite the presence of open questions that need to be addressed in future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF) paradigm is a well-acknowledged procedure to assess socio-emotional regulation in healthy and at-risk infants. Although it was developed mainly for research purposes, the FFSF paradigm has potential clinical implications for the assessment of socio-emotional regulation of infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities (ND) and to supporting parenting.Aim: The present paper describes the application of the FFSF paradigm as an evaluation and intervention tool in clinical practice with infants with ND and their parents.Methods: Theoretical and methodological insights for the use of the FFSF paradigm in the clinical setting are provided. Single-case vignettes from clinical practice further illustrate and provide exemplifications for the use of the FFSF with infants with ND and their parents.Results: From a clinical point of view, the use of the FFSF paradigm (1) offers a unique observational perspective on socio-emotional regulation in infants with ND and (2) enhances parents’ sensitivity to their infants’ behavior.Discussion: The FFSF paradigm appears to be a useful tool for clinical assessment of socio-emotional regulation in infants with ND and promote the quality of parenting and early parent-infant interaction.