How can psychological theories explain why video interaction guidance is so effective as an agent of positive change for children, parents, teachers and psychologists?

The Paper will present evidence that VIG promotes change for children and then will focus on the reasons why this intervention works. Strong psychological underpinnings of intersubjectivity and mediated learning will be discussed and linked to other interventions eg CBT, Narrative approaches, Positive Psychology, Dynamic Assessment. New data will be presented from Educational Psychologists in the UK who are working with Video Interaction Guidance on their views on why and how VIG is effective. It is now 14 years since Raymond Simpson and myself were trained in Video Interaction Guidance in the Netherlands and brought this to Educational Psychology Services in Scotland. During the intervening years two thirds of Educational Psychologists in Scotland have attended two day introductory courses with a half delivering Video Interaction Guidance as an intervention. Educational Psychology initial training courses in Dundee, Newcastle, UCL and Belfast have integrated VIG in to the Curriculum with Sheffield, Birmingham and Southampton in discussion for the future. VIG has been highlighted by the HMIe in a recent inspection of Psychological Services and Social Work in Dundee as an area of excellent practice. The evidence – base for the effectiveness of VIG studies has been building up. A recent meta-analysis by Ruben Fukkink from the University of Amsterdam on the effectiveness of VIG in promoting change in the family’s interactions with their children and in the parent’s and child’s behaviour shows very significant effect sizes for VIG