Maternal Mind‐mindedness

Relations With Maternal–fetal Attachment and Stability in the First Two Years of Life: Findings From an Australian Prospective Study

Bibliographic Data

ID11276263
AuthorsChristopher Mcmahon (0000-0002-3753-006X, Macquarie University, corresponding author), Catherine Mcmahon (0000-0001-7312-6593, Macquarie University), Anna‐Lisa Camberis (Macquarie University), Sinead Berry (Macquarie University), Frances Gibson (Macquarie University)
Year2016
Volume37
Issue1
Pages17-28
Publication date2016-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfant Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9641 • E-ISSN: 1097-0355
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/imhj.21548
PMID26714437
OpenAlexW2214682704
LanguageEN
Citations received24
References cited46

Mind‐mindedness captures a caregiver's attunement to his or her infant's mental states, and the tendency to interpret behavior as resulting from these mental states. The construct is assessed through analysis of maternal language during interaction or from mothers’ use of mental state words when invited to describe their child. This study examined whether maternal–fetal attachment predicted maternal mind‐mindedness, whether there was continuity in mind‐mindedness over the first 2 postnatal years, and concordance for the two approaches to measurement. One hundred fifty women completed a questionnaire measure of maternal–fetal attachment in the third trimester of pregnancy and participated in home visits to assess maternal mind‐mindedness when their infants were 7 months and 19 months of age. Path analysis showed that maternal–fetal attachment predicted indices of maternal mind‐mindedness at 7 and 19 months; mothers who made more mind‐related comments during play at 7 months also did so at 19 months, and mothers who made more mind‐related comments during play at 19 months also used more mental state words when describing their child. Results suggest that a proclivity to mind‐mindedness may be a caregiver characteristic that is present prior to birth and stable over time

Attachment measures · Attachment theory · Attunement · Cognition · Concordance · Developmental psychology · Mental health · Mental illness · Mental state · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Theory of mind · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Psychology

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