Reflective functioning in mothers with drug use disorders: Implications for dyadic interactions with infants and toddlers |
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| Authors: | Nancy E. Suchman Cindy DeCoste Denise Leigh Jessica Borelli |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , West Haven , CT , USA;2. Yale Child Study Center nancy.suchman@yale.edu;4. Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , West Haven , CT , USA;5. Yale Child Study Center;6. Department of Psychology , Pomona College |
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| Abstract: | In this study, we examined maternal reflective functioning as a bi-dimensional construct in a sample of 47 mothers with drug use disorders caring for infants and toddlers. We first tested a two-factor solution with scale items from the Parent Development Interview and confirmed the presence of two related but distinct dimensions: self-mentalization and child-mentalization. We then tested predictions that (a) self-mentalization would be associated with overall quality of maternal caregiving and that (b) child-mentalization would be associated with (i) maternal contingent behavior and (ii) child communication. Results partially supported hypotheses (a) and (bii). Unexpectedly, self-mentalization alone was associated with maternal contingent behavior. Findings suggest that self-mentalization may be a critical first step in improving mother-child relations involving mothers with drug use disorders. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | mother–child relations parent–child relations parenting substance abuse |
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