Date of Award

5-2016

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

MA in Child Development

Department

Child Development Graduate Program

Abstract

As an intern at the Chances for Children Institute, I have spent two years coleading a parent-child playgroup known as “Growing with Your Toddler.” This playgroup is a relationship-based intervention that strives to strengthen the attachment bond between caregivers and their children, increase affect attunement and regulation between each dyad, and generally help children move towards healthy development. This thesis focuses on the conceptual underpinnings of the Growing with Your Toddler playgroup, including attachment theory and child-parent psychotherapy, as well as the history and evolution of these theories. Using the KIPS analysis, which is conducted by Chances for Children each year, I evaluate the ways in which the 2014-2015 group intervention affected 12 key parenting behaviors in caregiver members, as well as discuss the theoretical implications of the results.

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