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Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties

BACKGROUND: Sexual abuse is a well-recognised risk factor for child psychopathology. Little is known regarding whether child and maternal mentalization can be considered a potential resource or protective factor in this context, respectively, mediating or moderating the relationship between sexual a...

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Autores principales: Ensink, Karin, Bégin, Michaël, Normandin, Lina, Fonagy, Peter
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Co-Action Publishing 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4731426/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26822865
http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.30611
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author Ensink, Karin
Bégin, Michaël
Normandin, Lina
Fonagy, Peter
author_facet Ensink, Karin
Bégin, Michaël
Normandin, Lina
Fonagy, Peter
author_sort Ensink, Karin
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Sexual abuse is a well-recognised risk factor for child psychopathology. Little is known regarding whether child and maternal mentalization can be considered a potential resource or protective factor in this context, respectively, mediating or moderating the relationship between sexual abuse and psychopathology. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were (1) to explore the relationships between child and maternal mentalizing, measured as reflective functioning (RF), and child depressive symptoms and externalising difficulties; and (2) to examine whether child mentalizing mediates the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and psychopathology. METHOD: A total of 168 children aged 7–12 years and their mothers participated in the study. The sample included 74 dyads where children had experienced sexual abuse. The Child Attachment Interview was rated by using the Child Reflective Functioning Scale to assess children's mentalization, and the Child Depression Inventory was used to assess depressive symptoms. Mothers completed the Parent Development Interview to assess maternal RF and the Child Behavior Checklist to assess their child's externalising difficulties. A model involving direct and indirect paths from CSA, child and maternal RF to child psychopathology was examined using Mplus software. RESULTS: Child mentalization partially mediated the relationships between CSA and depressive symptoms, as well as the relationship between CSA and externalising difficulties. Maternal mentalization was an independent predictor of child externalising difficulties, with higher maternal RF associated with less externalising difficulties. DISCUSSION: The findings indicate that by ages 7–12, child mentalization is an important inner resource associated with lower depression and externalising. In addition, this study provides new evidence of the importance of the parent's mentalizing stance for the development of self-regulation and externalising difficulties in both abused and non-abused children. The clinical implications are discussed.
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spelling pubmed-47314262016-02-22 Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties Ensink, Karin Bégin, Michaël Normandin, Lina Fonagy, Peter Eur J Psychotraumatol Basic Research Article BACKGROUND: Sexual abuse is a well-recognised risk factor for child psychopathology. Little is known regarding whether child and maternal mentalization can be considered a potential resource or protective factor in this context, respectively, mediating or moderating the relationship between sexual abuse and psychopathology. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were (1) to explore the relationships between child and maternal mentalizing, measured as reflective functioning (RF), and child depressive symptoms and externalising difficulties; and (2) to examine whether child mentalizing mediates the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and psychopathology. METHOD: A total of 168 children aged 7–12 years and their mothers participated in the study. The sample included 74 dyads where children had experienced sexual abuse. The Child Attachment Interview was rated by using the Child Reflective Functioning Scale to assess children's mentalization, and the Child Depression Inventory was used to assess depressive symptoms. Mothers completed the Parent Development Interview to assess maternal RF and the Child Behavior Checklist to assess their child's externalising difficulties. A model involving direct and indirect paths from CSA, child and maternal RF to child psychopathology was examined using Mplus software. RESULTS: Child mentalization partially mediated the relationships between CSA and depressive symptoms, as well as the relationship between CSA and externalising difficulties. Maternal mentalization was an independent predictor of child externalising difficulties, with higher maternal RF associated with less externalising difficulties. DISCUSSION: The findings indicate that by ages 7–12, child mentalization is an important inner resource associated with lower depression and externalising. In addition, this study provides new evidence of the importance of the parent's mentalizing stance for the development of self-regulation and externalising difficulties in both abused and non-abused children. The clinical implications are discussed. Co-Action Publishing 2016-01-27 /pmc/articles/PMC4731426/ /pubmed/26822865 http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.30611 Text en © 2016 Karin Ensink et al. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, allowing third parties to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, and to remix, transform, and build upon the material, for any purpose, even commercially, under the condition that appropriate credit is given, that a link to the license is provided, and that you indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
spellingShingle Basic Research Article
Ensink, Karin
Bégin, Michaël
Normandin, Lina
Fonagy, Peter
Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title_full Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title_fullStr Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title_full_unstemmed Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title_short Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
title_sort maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties
topic Basic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4731426/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26822865
http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.30611
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