Infant and Maternal Co-Occupational Patterns: A Retrospective Descriptive Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this retrospective descriptive cohort study is to explore the frequency and duration of co-occupational behaviors among caregiver-infant dyads., Methods: Data came from a retrospective cohort of 16 caregiver-infant dyads and were collected through 1-hour recordings when the infants were 8, 12, and 16 months of age. A coding scheme was used to identify the three constructs of co-occupation: shared emotionality, shared intentionality, and shared physicality., Results: The constructs of co-occupation of the caregiver-infant dyads evolved across the 8-month time frame of observation. Shared physicality emerged as the most prominent type of co-occupation at 8 months. By 16 months, shared emotionality was the most prevalently observed co-occupational behavior pattern., Conclusion: The co-occupational constructs of shared emotionality, shared intentionality, and shared physicality provide an understanding of how co-occupation may be a valuable mechanism for evaluation and intervention. Limitations of the study include the small sample size and the use of a novel observational coding scheme. Further research should incorporate the reliability and validity of the observational coding scheme, the use of a larger sample, and the inclusion of atypical caregiver-infant dyads. [Annals of International Occupational Therapy. 2021;4(3):e166-e171.], Copyright (C) 2021 SLACK Incorporated