1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« The objective of the first study [...] was to test the six episodes and the guidelines given to parents to make it possible to categorise the three types of activation predicted by the activation relationship theory. It also explored the associations between the activation relationship and child characteristics (sex and temperament). The objective of the second study [...] was to verify the orthogonality between SS [Strange Situation Procedure] and RS [Risky Situation Procedure] classifications. [...] Another objective was to verify whether the SS and the RS were associated with different dimensions of child temperament. The final objective was to verify the hypothesis of a positive association between the activation relationship and parental discipline and parental stimulation of risk-taking, especially with boys. The third study shared the same objectives as the second study, but applied to a sample of father-child dyads. Finally, the intention with regard to the total sample was to use it to verify whether parental stimulation of risk-taking explained activation after child sex and temperament were taken into account, whether parental behaviour during the RS was related to the classification, and finally whether activation was related to disorganised attachment as evaluated with the SS. » (p. 36)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
« The first sample comprised 21 father-child dyads with 10 boys and 11 girls. The second comprised 22 mother-child dyads, with 13 boys and nine girls. […] The third sample comprised 21 father-child dyads with 12 boys and nine girls. » (p. 36-37)

Instruments :
- Questionnaires variés
- The Strange Situation Procedure (SS)
- The Risky Situation Procedure (RS)

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

« Initial validation data are presented for the Risky Situation (RS), a 20-minute observational procedure designed to assess the father-child activation relationship with children aged 12-18 months. The coding grid, which is simple and easy to use, allows parent-child dyads to be classified into three categories and provides an activation score. By having the same parent-child dyads participate in the Strange Situation (SS) and in the RS, researchers were able to demonstrate that the RS appears to evoke specific relationship patterns. Moreover, parental stimulation of risk-taking, the central construct of the RS, was shown to play a significant role after controlling for child characteristics (sex and temperament). These results suggested that the RS has the potential to make a significant contribution to the study of the human relationship. » (p. 33)