Day-to-day fluctuations in parental reflective functioning: The role of parenting stress and perceived adolescent difficulties.

Social understanding competence develops in sensitive and co-regulating caregiver interactions. Parental reflective functioning (PRF) and parenting stress can affect children's social understanding. This study investigated if children's social understanding was associated with PRF and parenting stress. Parents of 305 Italian children aged from 24 to 72 months (M=48.2, SD=13.9; 47.9% girls) completed an online survey. Parents completed the following questionnaire: The Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, and the Children's Social Understanding Scale. Results showed that children's social understanding was predicted by lower parenting stress, b=.002, p=.017, and parent's interest and curiosity about the child's mental states, b=.07, p=.013. Findings confirm that high levels of parenting stress and low PRF constitute unfavorable conditions for preschoolers' socio-cognitive development. Thus, the present study can have implication for interventions aimed at improving children's social understanding that should focus on reducing parenting stress and enhancing parental mentalizing.

Video feedback for parental sensitivity and attachment security in children under five years.

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) is considered to be a key factor in the development of emotion regulation in children, which in turn plays an important role in their psychosocial functioning. This study aimed to explore the mediating role of children’s emotion regulation in the relationship between parental reflective functioning and children’s social, emotional, and behavioural functioning in a sample of preschool-age children. Participants were 257 mothers (Mean age = 35.63, SD = 4.55) and their preschool children (Mean age = 4.83, SD = .89; 46.7% girls), recruited through convenience sampling. Mothers’ reflective functioning was measured using Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ), which includes three subscales: Pre-Mentalizing (PM), Certainty about Mental States (CMS), and Interest and Curiosity in the Mental States (IC). Also, mothers reported on their child’s emotion regulation and psychosocial functioning using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and Social Skills Rating System (SSRS). Findings revealed that PM, as expected, was positively associated with psychosocial difficulties and negatively associated with emotion regulation and social strengths. IC, as expected, was negatively associated with psychosocial difficulties and positively associated with emotion regulation and social strengths. CMS, unexpectedly, was not associated with psychosocial difficulties and was positively associated with emotion regulation and social strengths. In addition, results of structural equation modelling showed that children’s emotion regulation mediated the relationship between parental reflective functioning and children’s social, emotional, and behavioural functioning. Our results highlight the importance of parental reflective functioning and children’s emotion regulation for children’s social, emotional, and behavioural functioning, and shed light on the possible role of emotion regulation through which parental reflective functioning exerts its influence on children’s psychosocial functioning.

We examined group differences between parents, both mothers and fathers, of premature and full-term infants to determine whether they differed in their reports of subjective parenting stress and in their level of parental reflective functioning (PRF). We also tested whether each parent's reflective functioning moderated the links between birth status (prematurity vs. full-term) and parenting stress. A sample of 73 cohabiting, heterosexual Israeli families with a premature (28–36th week gestational age, N = 34) or full-term infant (37th week and above gestational age, N = 39) participated, comprising the two parents' groups. Infants' age averaged 7.07 months (SD = 1.28). Each parent completed the Parent Stress Inventory (PSI) individually to determine his/her subjective personal and childrearing stress levels. The Parent Development Interview (PDI-R2-S) was used to obtain each parent's PRF (self and child/relation-focused) level. Findings showed that the premature and full-term parents did not differ in their PSI scores or PRF levels. However, mothers' self-focused PRF moderated the link between prematurity and personal parenting stress, whereas fathers' self-focused PRF moderated the link between prematurity and childrearing parenting stress. Furthermore, fathers' and mothers' PRF operated differently in the premature and full-term parents' groups. The findings highlight the importance of mothers' and fathers' PRF in predicting parents' subjective stress in general and particularly in the case of infant prematurity. We discuss these findings and their relevance for preventive and therapeutic perinatal interventions.

Mothers with a substance use disorder (SUD) have been found to exhibit heightened experience of stress and deficits in executive functioning (EF) and in parental reflective functioning (PRF). Although experiences of stress, EF and PRF are important for caregiving capacities; no studies have explored associations between the phenomena in mothers with SUD. This study aimed to examine the association between EF (working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility) and different forms of stress (parental stress, general life stress, and psychological distress) in 43 mothers with SUD with infants. We further aimed to investigate whether PRF had a mediating function between EF and the experience of stress. The mothers completed self‐report questionnaires regarding experiences of different types of stress, and we also used neuropsychological tests to assess EF and a semistructured interview to assess PRF. Results identified problems in EF were associated with higher parental stress and psychological distress but not with general life stress. Cognitive flexibility contributed uniquely to variance in parental stress, whereas working memory was a unique contributor to variance in psychological distress. PRF had a mediating function between EF and parental stress and between EF and psychological distress. Findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences in PRF when targeting EF in interventions trying to reduce the experience of parental stress and psychological distress in mothers with SUD.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the role of parental reflective functioning in moderating the effects of child temperament on parental stress among mothers of preschool children.BackgroundExtensive research has highlighted the detrimental impact of parental stress on parental well‐being and child development. However, gaps remain in understanding how various determinants contribute to parental stress.MethodA total of 185 mothers of children aged 3 to 6 years completed the Children's Behavior Questionnaire Short Form, the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, and the Parenting Difficulties Scale.ResultsRegression analyses showed that higher levels of negative affectivity and lower levels of effortful control in children were associated with increased parental stress. Moreover, higher prementalizing and higher interest and curiosity of mental states in mothers were related to higher parental stress. Moderation analyses revealed that low mentalizing serves as a significant risk factor in the relationship between children's characteristics and parental stress. Specifically, a positive relationship was found between children's surgency, negative affect, and elevated parental stress when mothers exhibited high prementalizing and low certainty of mental states.ConclusionOur findings highlighted the complex interplay between child temperament, parental reflective functioning, and parental stress, underscoring the importance of these factors in understanding parental well‐being.ImplicationsThese findings imply the importance of considering both child temperament and parental reflective functioning in interventions aimed at reducing parental stress. Tailored strategies targeting specific aspects of mentalizing may enhance parent–child interactions and alleviate stress.

Impaired parental reflective functioning (PRF), i.e. difficulties in understanding one’s child in terms of mental states, may constitute a risk for children’s development and wellbeing. Impaired PRF has been linked to parental psychopathology, however no study has investigated PRF in adult patients with personality disorders (PDs). We examined PRF in a sample of adult outpatients with diagnosed PDs compared with healthy controls (HCs), and explored associations between PRF and symptoms of psychopathology and interpersonal problems in parents with PD. A convenience sample of treatment-seeking outpatients with PDs (n = 34) were assessed with questionnaires measuring PRF (The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ)), symptoms of psychopathology (Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL-90-R)) and interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)). PRF scores were compared with reported means of HCs (n = 156) pooled from a previous study. Parents with PD reported higher levels of pre-mentalizing and lower levels of certainty about mental states compared with HCs. Both groups reported high levels of interest and curiosity and did not differ significantly in this regard. Exploratory analyses showed that low levels of certainty about mental states was associated with high levels of depressive and psychotic symptoms and submissive types of interpersonal problems (social-avoidance and non-assertiveness). Our findings provide preliminary evidence that patients with PD have impairments in PRF compared with HCs. The findings stress the importance of assessing the multidimensional nature of PRF in parents with PD.

Theorists argue that parental reflective functioning (PRF) is activated in response to emotions, potentially supporting parenting sensitivity even when arousal is high. That is, when parents become emotionally reactive when interacting with their children, those who can use PRF to understand their children's mental states should be able to parent sensitively, which, in turn, should promote children's ability to understand their own mental states. We test this theory by examining whether, in the face of physiological reactivity, mothers' PRF inhibits one form of parenting insensitivity, overcontrol (OC), and whether this process in turn predicts children's RF. A diverse sample of school-age children (N = 106, Mage = 10.27 years) completed a standardized failure paradigm while their mothers were asked to passively observe. Following the stressor, mothers and children independently completed interviews regarding the task, which were later coded for RF with respect to children's mental states. Mothers provided saliva samples before and after the stressor, and after the interview, which were later assayed for cortisol reactivity; maternal behavior during the stressor task was coded for OC. Among mothers with low levels of RF, greater increases in cortisol were associated with more displays of OC, whereas among mothers with high PRF, greater cortisol reactivity was associated with fewer OC behaviors. For low PRF mothers, higher reactivity and OC predicted lower children's PRF for their own experiences. The findings provide initial evidence for a protective function of PRF, and may point toward the importance of promoting PRF in intervention programs to reduce parental OC. (PsycINFO Database Record

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) refers to the capacity of caregivers to reflect upon their children’s internal mental states and intentions, which is seen as crucial for parental sensitivity, defined as the adequate behavioral response to an infant’s signals. In this study, the effect of maternal PRF on sensitivity during the mother–infant interaction was examined in a clinical sample of 50 mothers who were experiencing postpartum depression and their infants aged three to 10 months. Mother and infant were exposed to emotional distress using the still-face procedure. It was hypothesized that low levels of PRF are associated with a decrease in maternal sensitivity in response to distress. Maternal PRF was assessed using the parental reflective functioning questionnaire (PRF). The subscales measured interest and curiosity in mental states, certainty about mental states (i.e., the recognition of the opacity of mental states), and pre-mentalizing modes (i.e., non-mentalizing modes), whereas sensitivity was evaluated using the maternal behavior Q-sort (Mini-MBQS-V). The results revealed a significant overall decrease in maternal sensitivity. As expected, the higher the scores on the pre-mentalizing modes, which indicated low levels of mentalizing through the mothers’ repudiation or defense against it, the greater the decreases in sensitivity. No effects with respect to the interest and curiosity in mental states or the certainty about mental states were found. Our findings determined that the pre-mentalizing modes are predictive of sensitivity to distress in mothers with postpartum depression.

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) refers to parents’ capacity to reflect on mental states such as their own and their child’s feelings, thoughts, and intentions. Studies suggest that PRF is an important factor in parental behavior; however, only a few studies have examined the effect of early PRF on infant socioemotional development. The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) was developed as a brief, multidimensional measure to assess PRF. Recently, a modified version, the PRFQ-I, was suggested as a more accurate measure of PRF in an at-risk sample of mothers of infants. The study aims were to examine the factor structure and factorial invariance across parental gender of the PRFQ-I in a community sample, to compare PRF dimensions across mothers and fathers, and to investigate the association between PRF dimensions and infant socioemotional development. We examined this within a longitudinal design in a community sample of 1243 first-time mothers and 512 fathers. The results supported the expected factor structure of PRFQ-I and invariance across parental gender. Significant differences between mothers and fathers were found on the three PRF dimensions comprised by the questionnaire. The PRF dimensions of pre-mentalizing and certainty about mental states significantly predicted infant socioemotional development. Findings show that the PRFQ-I is a valid measure in parents of infants and suggest that PRF in early parenthood is an important factor in infant socioemotional development. Identification of first-time parents with limited PRF enables early intervention and may thus prevent limited PRF from having potentially adverse effects on infant socioemotional development.

ABSTRACTMaternal depressive symptoms are highly prevalent postpartum and have been shown to negatively impact maternal caregiving. The emotional response to infant crying has been shown to predict individual differences in the quality of caregiving behavior. Parental reflective functioning, that is, the ability to understand and reflect on the infant's mental states, may aid in understanding infant distress signals and thereby also regulating negative emotions in response to infant crying. Therefore, the first aim of the current study was to investigate differences in emotional responses to infant crying and parental reflective functioning in mothers with clinically relevant symptoms of depression compared to mothers without clinically relevant symptoms of depression and second to test whether an association between depressive symptoms and emotional responses to infant crying is mediated by parental reflective functioning. Mothers with infants between 1 and 12 months of age who participated in an online survey about the developing parent−infant relationship in Germany were included in the present study. Depressive symptoms, parental reflective functioning, and emotional responses to infant crying were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9), the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ), and the My Emotions Questionnaire. A total of 25.1% (n = 148) of mothers reported clinically relevant depressive symptoms, whereas 74.9% (n = 441) reported no or only mild symptoms. Mothers with clinically relevant depressive symptoms showed increased emotional reactivity to infant crying and less optimal parental reflective functioning compared to mothers without clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Further, the association between maternal depressive symptoms and negative emotional responses like anxiety and frustration in response to infant crying was partly mediated by dimensions of parental reflective functioning. The findings indicate that the incorporation of parental reflective functioning in early parenting programs, particularly for mothers experiencing depressive symptoms or at risk for depression, may be a critical factor in promoting sensitive caregiving.

Parental reflective functioning is associated with tolerance of infant distress but not general distress: Evidence for a specific relationship using a simulated baby paradigm

ObjectivesTwo key parental reflective capacities—mindful parenting (MP) and parental reflective functioning (PRF) — have been shown to promote healthy parent-child relationships through parents’ increased sensitivity and responsiveness to their children’s needs in spite of parenting stressors. Despite the theoretical overlap between these two constructs, researchers have continued to examine them independently. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review was to review the overlapping and distinctive outcomes and correlates in the empirical MP and PRF literatures.MethodA comprehensive literature search across the MP and PRF literature for studies published from 2005 through early 2020 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) was conducted.ResultsA review of 301 articles (n = 180 MP and n = 121 PRF) revealed overlapping study outcomes and correlates, including improvement in parent and child well-being, parenting behaviors, and attachment. Both MP and PRF literatures suggest MP and PRF are amenable to intervention-induced changes, although mostly documented in White mothers, which results may not be generalizable to diverse populations.ConclusionsResearchers should consider the impact MP and PRF have on positive family relationships. Results suggest that scholars should consider investigating and intervening on MP and PRF simultaneously. Specifically, results identified MP and PRF convergent associations and perhaps synergistic impacts on positive parenting behaviors. Limitations and future directions are discussed.PreregistrationThis review was not preregistered.

IntroductionGiven the significance of social-emotional competence for the success and well-being of preschool children and the crucial role of the family environment in children’s upbringing, the purpose of this study is to explore the effect of parenting stress on preschool children’s social-emotional competence, and to examine the mediating roles of parental reflective functioning and the parent-child relationship through a chain mediation model.MethodsA total of 3,166 parents of preschool children aged 3-6 years in China were surveyed using the Parenting Stress Index Short Form, the Chinese Inventory of Children’s Socioemotional Competence, the Child-Parent Relationship Scale, and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire.ResultsThe results showed two main findings: (a) parenting stress, parental reflective functioning, the parent-child relationship, and preschool children’s social-emotional competence were significantly correlated, and parenting stress negatively predicted preschool children’s social-emotional competence; and (b) parental reflective functioning and the parent-child relationship played significant mediating roles between parenting stress and preschool children’s social-emotional competence. The analysis revealed three mediating pathways: (a) the separate mediating role of parental reflective functioning; (b) the separate mediating role of the parent-child relationship; and (c) the chain mediating role of parental reflective functioning and the parent-child relationship.DiscussionThis study contributes to research in the field of social-emotional competence and provides a theoretical basis for improving preschool children’s social-emotional competence.

Parental reflective functioning refers to parents' capacity to consider their child's internal experiences and is associated with secure parent-child attachment, sensitive parenting behavior, and positive child socioemotional development. However, research into determinants of parental reflective functioning in large diverse samples has been scarce. Therefore, using a large multinational sample and longitudinal design, we aimed to: (a) identify sociodemographic determinants of parental reflective functioning; (b) investigate whether parental emotion regulation is a psychological determinant of parental reflective functioning; and (c) assess whether child negative affect, parent stress, and child age moderate longitudinal associations between parent emotion regulation and parental reflective functioning. Data were two time points of the Child and Parent Emotion Study following 2,208 parents (68% female) of a child aged 0-10 years residing in English-speaking countries. Parent emotion dysregulation, parent male cisgender status, speaking a language other than English, younger parent age, and older child age were associated with lower parental reflective functioning 12 months later, as indicated by higher levels of prementalizing. Child negative affect moderated the association between parent emotion dysregulation and parental reflective functioning, whereas child age and parent stress did not. Specifically, parent difficulty controlling impulses when distressed was associated with higher levels of prementalizing modes of reflective functioning only when child negative affect was moderate-to-high. The interplay between parent emotion dysregulation and child negative affect highlights the importance of considering both parent and child characteristics in intervention planning and suggests that personalizing parenting support according to these characteristics may be beneficial. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).