Maternal ADHD symptom severity and mother-child dyadic synchrony: an experimental study

Abstract

Dyadic synchrony, the temporal alignment of behaviors and affect between mother and child, is central to successful interactions. The role of maternal ADHD symptoms in this process is underexplored. Thirty mother–child dyads engaged in a free-play task. Maternal ADHD symptoms were assessed, dyadic synchrony was measured with human-coded ratings (Coding Interactive Behavior, CIB) and automated analysis (Motion Energy Analysis, MEA), and maternal affect was assessed before and after the interaction. Higher maternal ADHD symptoms were linked to lower CIB-rated synchrony, but not maternal affect. MEA showed complementary patterns, correlating with specific CIB dimensions. Findings highlight maternal ADHD symptomology as a risk factor for reduced dyadic synchrony and suggest additive value in combining human-coded and automated assessments.