VIG has a clear, robsust theoretical basis
Professor Colwyn Trevarthen's detailed micro-analysis of videos of successful parent-infant interactions, and his theory of intersubjectivity (Trevarthen 1980), lie at the core of VIG. Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) as an effective intervention would simply not exist without Trevarthen’s work
Trevarthen’s detailed research and ideas gave VIG a core theory, grounded in practice, which has freed VIG from the prescriptive manuals of some other parenting approaches. In the early 1980s, his emphasis on the initiative of the infants, and the wisdom of children, was very different from the prevailing narrative.
Click here to hear Colwyn Trevarthen reflect on why Video Interaction Guidance is a highly effective relational tool.
Click here if you would like to explore the history of VIG more, and understand about how Trevarthen’s legacy continues to sustain VIG development.
VIG Pioneers:
​Colwyn Trevarthen (1970s)
Harrie Biemens (1980s)
Hilary Kennedy
Raymond Simpson
Claske Houwing
Theories of why VIG is effective suggest that the use of video clips enables a shared space to be created between practitioner and client, where moments of parental sensitivity and attunement can be seen.
The video clips function as a ‘witness’ (Jarvis 2011) to the positive interaction, which may have been missed by the client in the moment, and which can be microanalysed by practitioner and client to enable a new kind of ‘seeing’ and understanding.
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Very few therapeutic interventions focus so equally and clearly on increasing both ‘attunement’ between parent and child (Beebe 2010), and ‘mentalization’ - the parent’s capacity for ‘reflective functioning’ - which refers to a parents’ capacity to treat their infant/child as an intentional being, and to understand behaviours in terms of the infant/child’s feelings, beliefs and intentions (Fonagy et al 2002).
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VIG clients are supported to improve their relationship skills, by developing their ability to mentalize about their own and their infant’s mental states, and by encouraging mind-minded interactions (Meins 2012).