# Secondary Analysis of a Brief Parent-Implemented NDBI on Activity-Engaged Triadic Interactions Within Mother–Child Dyads

## TL;DR

This study explores whether a parent-led communication intervention also improves triadic interactions during joint activities between mothers and children.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is a secondary analysis showing potential collateral effects of a communication intervention on triadic interactions.

## Key findings

- The intervention increased communication frequency and maternal strategy use.
- No functional relation was established for triadic interactions, but subtle changes suggest further research is needed.
- The study highlights the importance of analyzing complex skills as subskills for clearer outcomes.

## Abstract

Family-implemented interventions are evidence-based practices used to support a range of developmental outcomes, including social communication. Social communication is a broad construct that encompasses a variety of skills, from foundational abilities such as joint attention (i.e., two people attending to the same object or event) to more advanced behaviors like triadic interactions (i.e., responding to or initiating conversation that involves reciprocal interactions). In a previous study, we examined the effects of a brief, parent-implemented Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI), delivered over telepractice with video feedback coaching. The intervention resulted in increased strategy use by all mothers and the frequency of communication for three young children. In the current study, we conducted a secondary analysis of those data to explore whether the communication-focused intervention produced a collateral effect on activity-engaged triadic interactions (i.e., mother–child–mother or child–mother–child exchanges while simultaneously engaging in a joint activity). Although a functional relation was not established, critical theoretical implications are posed. These findings highlight the need for future research to break apart complex skills into subskills to detect any subtle changes in child outcomes. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.