Research Unit of the Centre for Family Study

The Research Unit of the Centre for Family Study conducts research on the development of communication within the family, on the impact of family dysfunction on the individual, and on the impact of pathology of one of the members on the whole family. The aim is to identify protective and risk factors which may be used as resources or as targets for intervention in family care. Research combines systemic methods of direct (video recordings) and indirect (questionnaires) observation.

The main projects in progress are :

• A prospective longitudinal study of the development of father-mother-child interactions
• The development of observational and diagnostic tools of family interactions
• A study of the impact of psychiatric illness of one of the parents on family interactions and on the development of the child

In addition, we conduct or are associated in collaborative research projects with several universities and institutes in Switzerland, Europe and the United States.

We also offer clinical consultations in the field of early family communication.

• Collaboration in developing and conducting research projects
• Training in research instruments, including assessment of video-recorded interactions
• Creation of a research database
• Methodological support
• Article library (including systemic and ethological approaches)
• Help in writing scientific articles

• Favez, N., Tissot, H., & Frascarolo, F. (2021). Shared parental care in the first 18 months as a context for sensitivity and coparenting. Journal of Family Studies, 27(2), 215-230. doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2018.1527711
• Frascarolo-Moutinot, F., Favez, N., Tissot, H., & Fivaz-Depeursinge, E. (2020). Fathers' Place and Role in Family Relationships. In Handbook of Fathers and Child Development (pp. 89-103). Springer International Publishing. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_6
• Favez, N., Tissot, H., & Frascarolo, F. (2019). Parents' representations of mother–child and father–child relationships as predictors of early coparenting interactions. Journal of Family Studies, 25(2), 199-213. doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2016.1230511
• Favez, N., Tissot, H., & Frascarolo, F. (2019). Is it typical? The ecological validity of the observation of mother-father-infant interactions in the Lausanne Trilogue Play. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16(1), 113-121. doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2017.1326907
• Tissot, H., Favez, N., & Despland, J.-N. (2019). Dépression parentale dans la période du post-partum : six arguments en faveur d'une approche familiale. Psychothérapies, 39(4), 217. doi.org/10.3917/psys.194.0217
• Rime, J., Tissot, H., Favez, N., Watson, M., & Stadlmayr, W. (2018). The Diaper Change Play: Validation of a New Observational Assessment Tool for Early Triadic Family Interactions in the First Month Postpartum. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 497. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00497
• Favez, N., Widmer, E., Doan, M.-T., & Tissot, H. (2018). Construire la cohésion familiale : les relations coparentales dans les familles recomposées. Cahiers critiques de thérapie familiale et de pratiques de réseaux, 61(2), 233. doi.org/10.3917/ctf.061.0233
• Favez, N., & Tissot, H. (2017). Attachment tendencies and sexual activities : The mediating role of representations of sex. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 34(5), 732-752. doi.org/10.1177/0265407516658361
• Favez, N., Tissot, H., Frascarolo, F., Stiefel, F., & Despland, J.-N. (2016). Sense of Competence and Beliefs About Parental Roles in Mothers and Fathers as Predictors of Coparenting and Child Engagement in Mother-Father-Infant Triadic Interactions : Parental Sense of Competence, Beliefs, and Coparenting. Infant and Child Development, 25(4), 283-301. doi.org/10.1002/icd.1934
• Udry-Jørgensen, L., Tissot, H., Frascarolo, F., Despland, J.-N., & Favez, N. (2016). Are parents doing better when they are together? A study on the association between parental sensitivity and family-level processes. Early Child Development and Care, 186(6), 915-926. doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1068768
• Favez, N., Tissot, H., Ghisletta, P., Golay, P., & Cairo Notari, S. (2016). Validation of the French Version of the Experiences in Close Relationships– Revised (ECR-R) Adult Romantic Attachment Questionnaire. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 75(3), 113-121. doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000177
• Favez, N., Widmer, E. D., Doan, M.-T., & Tissot, H. (2015). Coparenting in Stepfamilies: Maternal Promotion of Family Cohesiveness with Partner and with Father. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(11), 3268-3278. doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0130-x
• Tissot, H., Favez, N., Udry-Jorgensen, L., Frascarolo, F., & Despland, J.-N. (2015). Mothers' and Fathers' Sensitive Parenting and Mother–Father–Child Family Alliance During Triadic Interactions. The Family Journal, 23(4), 374-380. doi.org/10.1177/1066480715601110
• Frascarolo, F., Tissot, H., Favez, N., Grimard, N., & Despland, J.-N. (2015). Links between paternal and maternal self-esteem and coparenting during the first two years of the child. Family Science, 6(1), 211-218. doi.org/10.1080/19424620.2015.1082052
• Hayos, C., & Tissot, H. (2014). Reflective family play : a brief family therapy combining the LTP with Watch, Wait, and Wonder. In E. Fivaz-Depeursinge & D. A. Philipp (Eds.), The baby and the couple : understanding and treating young families (pp. [149]-164). Routledge.
• Fivaz-Depeursinge, E., Philipp, D. (2014). The baby and the couple. Understanding and treating young families. UK, Routledge.
• Favez, N. (2013). L'examen clinique du couple : théories et instruments d'évaluation. Ed. Mardaga, Wavre.
• Favez, N., Frascarolo, F. & Tissot, H. (Eds.) (2013) Naître et grandir au sein de la triade: le développement de l'alliance familiale. Bruxelles: De Boeck.
• Fivaz-Depeursinge, E., Corboz-Warnery, (2013). Le triangle primaire. Le père, la mère et le bébé (édition révisée). Bruxelles, De Boeck
• Favez, N., Lopes, F., Bernard, M., Frascarolo, F., Lavanchy Scaiola, C., Corboz-Warnery, A., & Fivaz-Depeursinge, E. (2012). The development of family alliance from pregnancy to toddlerhood and child outcomes at 5 years. Family Process, 51(2), 542-556, doi: 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01419.x
• Favez, N. (2011). L'examen clinique de la famille : modèles et instruments d'évaluation, Ed. Mardaga, Wavre.
• Frascarolo-Moutinot, F., Lumbroso V. (collab.) (2011). Option bonheur : il n'est jamais trop tard pour être heureux ! Albin Michel, Paris.
• Favez, N., & Frascarolo, F. (2011). Le développement des interactions triadiques mère-père-enfant = The development of mother-father-child triadic interactions. Devenir, 23(4), 359-377.
• Tissot, H., Despland, J.-N., Favez, N., & Frascarolo-Moutinot, F. (2011). Dépression post-partum maternelle et développement de l'enfant: revue de littérature et arguments en faveur d'une approche familiale. La psychiatrie de l'enfant, 54(2), pp. 611-37, 2011.
• Frascarolo-Moutinot, F., & Favez, N. (2009). Systems consultation : a clinical tool joining up research and clinical practice. The Signal : Newsletter of the World Association for Infant Mental Health, 17(3), 1-4.
• Frascarolo, F., & Favez, N. (2005). Une nouvelle situation pour évaluer le fonctionnement familial: le jeu du pique-nique = A new situation to evaluate a family system's fuctioning: the picnic game. Devenir, 17(2), 141-151.