1,721,063 research outputs found
The parental reflective functioning as a development dimension: Theoretical and clinical aspects
No full textL'articolo prende in considerazione il costrutto della Funzione Riflessiva Genitoriale (FRG)come sistematizzato da Fonagy e Target all'interno della cornice teorica, clinica e di ricerca della Developmental Psychology. La FRG si riferisce alla capacità del genitore di leggere la mente del proprio bambino in relazione ai suoi sentimenti, alle sue aspettative, ai suoi desideri e di essere in grado di riflettere sulle sue esperienze e come esse vengano riflesse nell'interazione con il bambino. La FRG viene posta come dimensione centrale del sè infantile in linea agli assunti psicoanalitici relazionali che spostano il focus dell'interiorizzazione dell'oggetto contenente all'interiorizazzione del sè pensante e pongono i processi di regolazione affettiva e della mentalizazzione in termini di adeguatezza e rischio evolutivo.This paper take into consideration the concept of Parental Reflective Functioning (PRF) as systematized by Fonagy and Target within the theoretical, clinical and research framework of the Developmental Pychology. PRF refers to the capacity of the parent to envision his or her child as motivated by internal mental states such as feeling, wishes, desires, and to be able to reflect on his or her own internal mental experiences, and how they are shaped by interactions with the child. PRG is placed as the central dimension of child’s self in line with the relational psychoanalytic assumptions that shift the focus of the internalization of the containing object to the internalization of the thinking self and set the processes of affective regulation and mentalizing in terms of adequacy and evolutive risk
Maternal representations in psychosocial and depressive risk parenting: A pilot study on early mother-infant feeding interactions.
No full textMaternal representations in psychosocial and depressive risk parenting: A pilot study on early mother-infant
feeding interactions
Tambelli R. (Italy), Odorisio F. (Italy), Lucarelli L. (Italy)
Developmental research has expanded its focus to include parental representations into the study of early socioemotional
development. From an attachment perspective, parental representations are thought to be based on the
parent’s past attachment experiences and determine access to thoughts and feelings in relation to the child, which, in
turn, guide the parent’s caregiving behavior. It is argued that parental representations are shaped by parent’s past
childhood experiences as well as by his or her daily encounters with the child. Thus, parental representations are theorized to be child specific, and need to be assessed in the context of an ongoing relationship. This approach led to
the development of several interviews, such as the Interview of Maternal Representations During Pregnancy
(IRMAG-R; Ammaniti, & Tambelli, 2010) and the Interview of Maternal Representations After the Birth (IRMAN;
Ammaniti et al., 1999). The present study examined the parent–child relationship in psychosocial and depressive
risk parenting at the observed level, assessing specific maternal and infant behavior patterns during early
interactions, as well as at the representational level, by focusing on mothers’ representations during pregnancy and
after birth of their relationship with their children. Mothers were contacted by health services when they were in the
second trimester of pregnancy. Mothers were interviewed on psychosocial risk factors and completed a
questionnaire on depressive symptoms, the CES-D (Radloff, 1977). The sample consisted of 167 women divided in:
41 women with one or no psychosocial risk factor and low levels of depressive symptoms, 40 women at
psychosocial risk, 40 women at depressive risk and 46 women at psychosocial and depressive risk. The mothers’
ages ranged from 20 to 43 years (M=32.6, SD=4.29) (children= 81 girls, 86 boys). All women were interviewed
during pregnancy through the IRMAG-R to explore mental representations of themselves as mothers and of their
unborn infants. When the infant was 3 months old, the IRMAN was administered to the woman and mother-infant
feeding interactions were assessed through the Feeding Scale, in the Italian version (Lucarelli et al., 2002). Results
pointed out a higher frequency of Ambivalent Representations during pregnancy and after birth in the depressive
and psychosocial risk mothers. Moreover, at the observed level, these mothers showed lower positive affects, higher
intrusiveness and provide less adequate emotional support during early feeding interactions with their infants. These
findings provide empirical support for theoretical and clinical perspectives suggesting a reciprocal link between
maternal dysfunctional representations, in depressive and psychosocial risk parenting, and mother and child’s
maladaptive interactions in the context of early socio-emotional development of the child
Do antenatal maternal and paternal depression levels affect emotional availability during mother-child and father-child interactions?
No full textThis study determined the predictive value of antenatal maternal and paternal depressive symptoms in emotional availability (EA) during mother-child and father-child interactions. A self-reported measure of depression was administered to 50 couples of primiparous parents during the seventh/eighth month of pregnancy, and an observational system was applied to assess parent-child EA when the children were aged 7 and 9 months. To disentangle the contributions from the mother and fathers, 2 moderated regression models were tested separately for maternal and paternal EA, with maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and their interaction as predictors and the partners’ EA and age as controls. In the first model, maternal depressive symptoms (beta = -.32, p = .01) and paternal EA (beta = .57, p <.01) had a significant effect, and there was a significant interaction between maternal and paternal depressive symptoms (beta = -.24, p = .03). No significant effects emerged for paternal depressive symptoms or maternal age. A simple-slope analysis of the interaction showed that for high levels of depression in fathers (+1 SD), the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and maternal EA was negative and significant (r = -.56, p = .005), whereas for low levels (-1 SD), this relationship tended to dissipate. Regarding the second model, no significant effects were found for maternal or paternal depressive symptoms or their interaction. Overall, the results suggest that high levels of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy impairs the development of adequate maternal EA. This risk increases when maternal and paternal depressive symptoms are high, implicating the importance of the relationship between parents. These effects were not observed for paternal EA
The Role of Maternal Personality Organization and of the p Factor in Predicting Parental Distress, the Quality of Parental Care, and Offspring’s Dysregulation Symptoms
No full textBackground: It has been posited that parental distress, the quality of maternal care and offspring’s dysregulation can be predicted by maternal maladaptive characteristics. However, only a few studies have considered mothers’ personality organizations and features of the p factor in mothers as possible predictors of symptoms in their children. Methods: In a sample of N=524 subjects, this study evaluated the effect of mothers’ personality organization and of the p factor on parental distress, parental care and offspring’s dysregulation symptoms. Mothers filled out the IPO, the ASR, and the PSI-SF; children’s teachers filled out the TRF; children were administered the PBI. Results: We found that different mother groups (neurotic, borderline, psychotic organization) have distinct impact on parental distress, quality of care, and children’s dysregulation, mediated by the p factor. Conclusion: This study can contribute to the understanding of the key factors underpinning mothers and children’s psychopathology
De la grossesse a la periode de post-accouchement: stabilite et evolution de la structure factorielle des representations que se fait une mere
No full textNew Addictions in Late Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: How Attachment Style May Predict Problematic Use of Social Networks and Binge-Watching
No full textAs behavioral addictions (BAs) significantly affect well-being, paying attention to the characteristics associated with their onset is relevant. Current studies suggest that BAs should be addressed from an adaptive–maladaptive continuum perspective to define what and how some behaviors became problematic. The multi-faceted nature of behaviors attributed to possible BA involves psychological and individual backgrounds (e.g., attachment style). Given its role in affecting personality processes, social development, and motivational drives, the attachment style would be involved in addiction-like behaviors from adolescence, defined as a critical period for BA onset. This study analyzed the association between the attachment dimensions and two possible BAs that can be included in an adaptive–maladaptive continuum (i.e., social network use and TV series watching). A sample consisting of 493 late adolescents/emerging adults (age range: 18–24) completed questionnaires assessing social network use, TV series watching, and attachment style. The results showed a positive association between problematic attachment styles and BAs. High worry and need for relationships (anxious attachment) would be risk factors for problematic social network use and relationships as secondary (avoidant attachment) would be a risk factor for problematic TV series watching. These findings suggest the importance of further analyzing the role of attachment styles and their dimensions in influencing behavioral expression early to prevent the occurrence of BA
Prenatal and postanatal maternal representaions in nonrisk and at-risk parenting: exploring the influences on mother-infant feeding interactions
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the mother–infant relationship in depressive, psychosocial, and cumulative-risk parenting by assessing prenatal and postnatal maternal representations and mother–infant interactions during feeding at 4 months of age. The sample consisted of 167 mother–infant pairs: 41 nonrisk women, 40 depressive-risk women, 40 psychosocial-risk women, and 46 cumulative-risk women. During pregnancy, the women were interviewed about psychosocial-risk variables. Maternal representations and depressive symptoms were evaluated during pregnancy and again when the infants were 3 and 4 months old, respectively. All mother–infant pairs were observed in 20-min video recordings during breast-feeding. Maternal Integrated/balanced representations were more frequent in the nonrisk group whereas the maternal Nonintegrated/ambivalent category was more represented in the cumulative-risk group during pregnancy and after the infant’s birth. At 4 months, the cumulative-risk group of mothers and infants showed a lack of reciprocity, conflictual communicative exchanges, and higher food refusal behavior. Moreover, at 4 months, differences between the quality of mother–infant feeding interactions and the quality of prenatal and postnatal maternal representations emerged, showing less adequate maternal scaffolding in the Nonintegrated/ambivalent and Restricted/disengaged women. This study has rich implications for intervention to support the affective and communicative caregiving system and to prevent infant feeding problems and mother–infant relational disturbances in childhood
Adolescent parenting is a specific risk beyond the contribution of other psychosocial factors? A study on maternal representations and caregiver-child interaction.
No full textInternational late-adoption: assessing parent-child relationship through free-play interaction and attachment representations.
No full textIntroduction: The adoptive experience is considered an opportunity to experience a new
relational environment that offers the possibility to revise early insecure or disorganized
attachment in abused and/or neglected children (Van IJzendoorn & Juffer 2006; Pace et
al., 2012). While attachment assessment allows the internal representations of children and
parents about their relationship to be evaluated, the observation of their interaction
allows the specific way in which the two individuals co-construct the reality of their
unique dyad (Sander 2007) to be looked at. Several studies have found a relationship
between the assessment of interaction through dyadic emotional availability and infant
attachment, although the strength of this association has been proved to be modest (Van
Den Dries, Juffer et al. 2012). The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attachment representations and dyadic emotional availability, so as to deepen the understanding of the relational functioning of families with late-adopted children.
Method: The sample was composed of 18 Italian adoptive families recruited
through health services and authorized agencies for international adoptions. Children
were aged between 4.5 and 8.5 years and the time spent in the adoptive family ranged
from 1 to 3 years. Measures: Dyadic emotional availability was assessed through the Emotional
Availability Scales - EAS (Biringen 2008), adult attachment through the Adult
Attachment Interview - AAI (George, Kaplan & Main 1985) and child attachment
through the Manchester Attachment Story Task - MCAST (Green, Stanley, Smith, &
Goldwyn 2000).
Results and discussion: The attachment distribution of the parents shows an
overrepresentation of insecure categories. The distribution of child attachment is 56%
Secure (with respect to at least one parent), 22% Insecure, and 22% Disorganized (with
respect to at least one parent). Results reveal a matching between parental attachment
models and children attachment patterns and a weak association between parental
emotional availability and adult attachment classifications. These outcomes indicate that insecure and disorganized attachment patterns of late-adopted children in the first 3 years after adoption may change; nonetheless, parental attachment security is not a sufficient condition. These data also suggest that free-play interactions may not necessarily lead to distress and therefore to the activation of the attachment/care-giving system, offering a possible explanation for the weak correlation between emotional availability and child attachment
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