Early Interactions Matter:Strategies for Increasing the Quality of Early

Interactions to Enhance Life Long Social Development

Kristen Roorbach Jamison, M.T., Ph.D.Creating Connections to Shining Stars

Virginia Beach – July 17, 2012

We are driven by human interaction from our earliest days…

Developmental Growth and Interactions

• Birth to five is a time of tremendous range and depth of development.

• Synaptic pruning, myelination, and social learning processes create massive differences in behavior between relatively small time points.

• How can this shape interaction?

Neuropsychology and Development

• What we know:– From quite basic cognitive beginnings, infants

learn a massive amount of information about the social and physical world and how they interact.

– This happens through:• Symbolic awareness• Habituation• Perceptual learning• Conditioning• Observational Learning

Infant Brain Development

An 8 month PET scan

The Critical Period

What drives this?

• INTERACTIONS• Lots of them. • With consistent, loving, responsive adults.

A Compelling Example:

Most of this Important Research Happened Like This:

Now We’re Interested in This

And This

And This

Developmental Milestones

• What can they tell us about HOW we should interact???

Typical Behavioral MilestonesBy 3 Months:• Begins to develop a social smile• Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops• Becomes more expressive and communicates more with face and

body• Imitates some movements and facial expressions

By 7 Months:• Enjoys social play• Interested in mirror images• Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion and appears

joyful often

Let’s take a look:

By 12 Months• Shy or anxious with strangers• Cries when mother or father leaves• Enjoys imitating people in his play• Shows preferences for certain people/toys• Test parental responses to his behavior• May be fearful in some situations• Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over others• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention• Finger-feeds himself or herself• Extends arm or leg to help with being dressed

Let’s take a look:

Age 1-2

• Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children

• More aware of him/herself as separate from others

• More excited about company of other children• Demonstrates increasing independence• Begins to show defiant behavior• Separation anxiety increase toward midyear then

fades

Age 2-3

• Self-regulation begins• May be rigid in views• Self-help skills emerge• Gender awareness• Empathy and compassion for others• Aggressive display of feelings and behaviors• Parallel to Associative Play

Let’s take a look:

Age 3-4

• Friends become more interesting than adults• “False truth” play• Follow directions• Sharing toys• Initiating play, make-believe• Dramatic play• Associative Play

Age 4-5

• Moral reasoning emerges• Comparison with others• Strong friendships develop• Gender differences emerge in role play• Elaborate dramatic play• Cooperative Play

Let’s take a look:

Red Flags

• Flat affect, lack of joy, little emotion• Eating or sleeping disruptions or issues• No interest in what others are doing• Overly hostile, angry without provocation• Rejects being touched or held

Red Flags (cont.)

• Avoids comforting attempts, even when it is in response to crying or an injury

• Rejects or avoids play with peers• Unusually difficult to comfort• Unable to calm down after a reasonable time• Overly fearful, “on edge”• Does not turn to familiar adult for help• Sudden behavior changes

Let’s take a look:

What do children need to be socially competent?

• Unconditional Love• Encouragement to

express feelings with words

• Practice Practice Practice

• A caring adult can change the life of a child.

How can we promote SED through positive interactions?

Respect of Emotion

Clear Expectations

Consistent Consequences

A Socially Comfortable

Child

How does this change across age groups?

• How do you respect an infant’s emotional state?

• What if expectations are different at home for a preschooler?

• How can consistent positive consequences be used with a two year old?

Respect of Emotion

Clear Expectations

Consistent Consequences

A Socially Comfortable

Child

How can we use this model across settings?

• How can you help parents understand this as a home visitor?

• How might cultural issues affect this formula?

• What would this look like with an ESL student?

Respect of Emotion

Clear Expectations

Consistent Consequences

A Socially Comfortable

Child

Take Home Tidbits

• Positive early interactions can change development!

• Interactions can (and should) be child-led too! (Be a good listener)

• Be honest about feelings and emotions (with parents too!)

• The earlier a child is exposed to warm, responsive interactions, the BETTER the outcome!

• Play, play, play!