Are maternal reflective functioning and attachment security associated with preadolescent mentalization?

This study investigated the impact of maternal reflective functioning (RF) and attachment security on children\u2019s mentalization. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) was administered to mothers in a sample of 41 mother\u2013preadolescent dyads. AAI transcripts were rated in terms of the Berkeley AAI System (Main and Goldwyn, 1998) and the Reflective Functioning Scale (RFS; Fonagy et al., 1998). Preadolescent mentalization was assessed using a semi-structured interview adapted from O\u2019Connor and Hirsch (1999) and also by analyzing mental-state talk produced during an autobiographical interview. Relationships between maternal RF and children\u2019s mentalization were analyzed, with consideration given to the different RFS markers and references to positive, negative, and mixed-ambivalent mental states. Children\u2019s mentalization was positively correlated with the mother\u2019s RF, particularly the mother\u2019s ability to mentalize negative or mixed-ambivalent mental states. No significant differences in mentalization were observed between children of secure and insecure mothers

Fattori individuali e influenze contestuali nello sviluppo delle funzioni esecutive

In questo capitolo sono discussi e approfonditi alcuni aspetti critici relativi alla valutazione delle FE in et\ue0 evolutiva e sono fornite alcune indicazioni operative utili sia nella pratica clinica sia in ambito di ricerca. E' in ultimo descritta una nuova batteria di prove di valutazione delle FE che tiene conto della complessit\ue0 e dei rapidi cambiamenti del costrutto nel periodo compreso tra i 2 e i 6 anni

Le difficolt\ue0 e i disturbi del linguaggio attraverso le lenti dell'ICF

Il volume intende introdurre il lettore all'ottica velutativa dell'ICF, applicata alle difficolt\ue0 linguistiche. Si parte dalle definizioni dei quadri clinici e delle situazioni di potenziale problematicit\ue0, descrivendone le principali caratteristiche e ricorrendo a esemplificazioni che permettano di collegare i codici dell'ICF a situazioni concrete in cui gli individui si confrontano con le loro difficolt\ue0 e potenzialit\ue0

Il bilinguismo a scuola

Bambini e ragazzi di origine straniera faticano a raggiungere e mantenere gli stessi risultati dei coetanei italiani in quasi tutti gli ambiti dell'apprendimento scolastico. Le ragioni di questo scarto sono molte e complesse: il testo si focalizza in particolare sull'acquisizione delle competenze di lettura e scrittura negli allievi di lingua minoritaria, segnalando ci\uf2 che pu\uf2 interferire con l'apprendimeto e gli interventi che possono facilitarlo

Mentalizing Abilities in Preadolescents\u2019 and Their Mothers\u2019 Autobiographical Narratives.

This study aims to investigate the association between the mental state talk of mothers and their preadolescent children, with the hypothesis that an intergenerational transmission of mentalizing abilities may extend beyond early childhood. The participants were 41 mother 12preadolescent child nonclinical dyads. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and the Child Attachment Interview (CAI) were administered to the mothers and their children, respectively, to evaluate the frequency and the quality of their mental state talk. The AAI transcripts were coded according to the Reflective Functioning Scale. Analyses revealed a clear albeit complex relationship between the mentalizing abilities of mothers and their preadolescent children. The correlations between the mental state talk of mothers and children were generally limited. In contrast, children\u2019s use of mental terms was significantly predicted by maternal education and maternal reflective functioning, whereas the production of markers of uncertainty in children was associated with the mothers\u2019 use of markers of uncertainty

Profili dello sviluppo linguistico precoce: analisi di alcuni indicatori di rischio

The aim of this study was to identify some factors which are associated with further language development in toddlers. To this purpose a longitudinal study design with two assessments was used in order to evaluate to what extent some language variables measured at 24-30 months of age could predict language outcome one year later (36-42 months). Three measures (absence of word combination, reduced vocabulary, absence of morphological competence), potentially associated with later language development, were extracted from the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory, compiled by the teachers at the first assessment. According to the results, a risk index was developed which allowed to identify a group of late talkers. The cognitive, behavioural and language profiles of children at risk showed some differences as compared with those of toddlers with typical language development

Assessing mother-to-infant attachment: the Italian adaptation of a self-report questionnaire

The mother-to-infant relationship is usually assessed by behavioural observation. In order to evaluate mothers\u2019 emotional and cognitive response to their infants, Condon and Corkindale [(1998) The assessment of parent-to-infant attachment: development of a selfreport questionnaire instrument, Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 16, 57\u201376] have developed a self-administered questionnaire. The aim of the present study is the Italian validation of the scale. The questionnaire contains 19 items each rated on a 5-point scale. A sample of women with infants between 2 and 4 months of age were recruited at two postnatal wards in Genoa (Italy). Construct validity was assessed by administering two additional questionnaires: the Symptom Rating Test by Kellner and Sheffield and the Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire by Medoff-Cooper, Carey and Mc Devitt. A total of 210 women were evaluated. The distribution of scores tended to be skewed towards higher attachment scores and the range was 59 to 95. The mean of the total scale was 81.5 (SD~6.5) and Cronbach\u2019s alpha was 0.77. Attachment scores were negatively correlated with all the Symptom Rating Test subscales (r between 20.23 and 20.37; pv0.01). Mothers of children with difficult temperament had lower attachment scores (t~22.780; pv0.01). Factor analysis revealed six factors which accounted for 57% of the variance. The psychometric properties of the Italian version of the scale were similar to those of the original version. The three-factor structure found by Condon and Corkindale was not confirmed in the Italian version. The scores on the scale relate to other variables in a way that is consistent with attachment literature

Mental vocabulary and markers of uncertainty in childhood and preadolescence

From middle childhood through adolescence, a growing awareness of interpretiveactivities in the construction of knowledge and belief occurs. Children progressivelyrealize that cognitive activities are highly inferential and, consequently, uncertain.The present study moves from the hypothesis that a developmental progressionof the understanding of the relative certainty of mental processes across latechildhood and preadolescence is reflected in the use of mental terms. In particular,the present study analyses the production of two cognitive verbs (think and know)and of markers of uncertainty in an autobiographical narrative. The results confirman increase in the use of think and of markers of uncertainty in children aged8 to 12, suggesting a major change in children’s appreciation of subjectivity. Theproduction of these mental terms was not associated with general verbal ability.Gender differences in their use were marginal and, when present, favored girls.From middle childhood through adolescence, a growing awareness of interpretiveactivities in the construction of knowledge and belief occurs. Children progressivelyrealize that cognitive activities are highly inferential and, consequently, uncertain.The present study moves from the hypothesis that a developmental progressionof the understanding of the relative certainty of mental processes across latechildhood and preadolescence is reflected in the use of mental terms. In particular,the present study analyses the production of two cognitive verbs (think and know)and of markers of uncertainty in an autobiographical narrative. The results confirman increase in the use of think and of markers of uncertainty in children aged8 to 12, suggesting a major change in children’s appreciation of subjectivity. Theproduction of these mental terms was not associated with general verbal ability.Gender differences in their use were marginal and, when present, favored girls