Family Interaction Task (FIT)

The Family Interaction Task aims to measure the way parents and their children interact, by observing them during a discussion of a predetermined set of subjects.

In RADAR, the raw data consisted of video observations of a conflict task and a discussion task. The videos were coded using the FIT coding systems. In the Conflict Task, mothers and adolescents were asked to choose an issue that they discussed most often during the last month. The Interpersonal Conflict Questionnaire (Laursen, 1995), which lists topics of frequent family conflicts (e.g., chores, school problems, curfews), was provided as an aid to selecting topics. Mothers and adolescents spent 10 minutes attempting to resolve the conflict issues, and their discussion was videotaped. In the Discussion Task, father, mother and adolescent were asked to discuss a particular topic, and to get where they all three agree on. In wave 1, this topic was an anti smoking campaign, in wave 2 it was a holiday weekend, in wave 3, it was a surprise for a family member, in wave 4 it was a street party, and in wave 5 it was an advise to the mayor. The triad had 10 minutes to come up with a solution/answer that they all agreed upon. After 10 minutes, triads needed to present their solution to the research assistant, which was also videotaped.

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Keywords
Constructs
Waves
  • Young Cohort

  • RY - W1
    •   OMC OFC OPC
    13.0 years   From 2006-02-01 to 2006-05-31
  • RY - W2
    •   OMC OFC OPC
    14.0 years   From 2007-02-01 to 2007-05-31
  • RY - W3
    •   OMC OFC OPC
    15.0 years   From 2008-02-01 to 2008-05-31
  • RY - W4
    •   OMC OFC OPC
    16.0 years   From 2009-02-01 to 2009-05-31
  • RY - W5
    •   OMC OFC OPC
    17.0 years   From 2010-02-01 to 2010-05-31
    Mode of collection Observation
    Analysis unit Individual, Family
    Instrument name Conflict Task and Discussion Task
    Measure name Family Interactions
    References
    Allen, J. P., McElhaney, K. B., Land, D. J., Kuperminc, G. P., Moore, C. W., O’Beirne–Kelly, H., & Kilmer, S. L. (2003). A Secure Base in Adolescence: Markers of Attachment Security in the Mother–Adolescent Relationship. Child Development, 74(1), 292–307. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.t01-1-00536
    Weinfield, N. S., Ogawa, J. R., & Egeland, B. (2002). Predictability of Observed Mother–Child Interaction from Preschool to Middle Childhood in a High‐Risk Sample. Child Development, 73(2), 528–543. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00422
    You can also access this dataset using the API (see API Docs).