Dyadic synchrony: Its structure and function in childrens developmentq

In this review we examine empirical and theoretical work in three eras—infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood—and for each era describe the structure of dyadic synchrony in interactions involving children and their caregivers, as well as offer speculation about its developmental function for the child. We review divergent lit-eratures dealing with synchrony-related constructs which, together, suggest that al-though the structure and function of synchrony change throughout the course of early development, the ability to achieve synchrony may represent a crucial develop-mental achievement for significant dyadic relationships, one that facilitates social, emotional, and cognitive growth for the child. 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. Developmentalists from diverse theoretical orientations acknowledge that the quality of one-on-one interactions with significant others is crucial to childrens social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Such interactions be-Developmental Review 22 (2002) 555–592 www.academicpress.com qThe authors contributed equally to this manuscript. Appreciation is expressed to Rebecca S