Hawkins, Erinn

Moran, Greg

Pederson, David R.

English

Scholarship@Western

Western UniversityScholarship@WesternPsychology Presentations Psychology Department3-1-2006Maternal States of Mind, Reflective Function,Maternal Behavior, and the Mother-InfantAttachment RelationshipGreg MoranUniversity of Western Ontario, gmoran2@uwo.caErinn HawkinsUniversity of Western Ontario, ehawkin2@uwo.caDavid R. PedersonUniversity of Western Ontario, pederson@uwo.caFollow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/psychologypresPart of the Developmental Psychology CommonsCitation of this paper:Moran, Greg; Hawkins, Erinn; and Pederson, David R., "Maternal States of Mind, Reflective Function, Maternal Behavior, and theMother-Infant Attachment Relationship" (2006). Psychology Presentations. 2.https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/psychologypres/2Maternal States of Mind,Reflective Function, Maternal Behavior, and the Mother-Infant Attachment RelationshipGreg Moran, Erinn Hawkins, andDavid R. PedersonDepartment of PsychologyUniversity of Western OntarioUQTR – le 1 mars 2006With more than a little assistance from…• Sandi Bento, Research Coordinator• Carey Anne DeOliveira (CPRI, London)• Heidi Neufeld Bailey (U of Guelph)• Jen Phillips• Karin Gleeson• Ann Krupka• Ann Robson• Erinn Hawkins• Sheri Madigan• Lindsey Forbes• Elspeth Evans• Acia Blank• Anneli Sepa• Deanne Pederson• and others, including countless London area mothers and their babiesGenerous funding from:  Health Canada, SSHRC, and OMHFOur Research Program – OverviewAttachment – The First RelationshipIts origins in the first year and in the mother’s childhood experienceThe First RelationshipMaternalState of MindAttachmentRelationshipEarlyMother-InfantInteraction Maternal Childhood ExperienceInternal Working Model of AttachmentFuture RelationshipsOrganized and Disorganized Attachment RelationshipsTraumaMaternal Representations and the Transmission of Attachment• Elaborating on the place of representations in the broader picture• Beyond the AAI-based Internal Working Model (IWM)• Need for greater specificity - Representation of ? different types of relationships? Different relationships of the  same typeMaternal RepresentationofIntimateRelationshipsAAI - IWMSpousal RelationshipsSame-sex RelationshipsGenericRepresentationof Mother-InfantRelarionshipsOpposite-sex  RelationshipsParent-AdultRelationshipsParticularMother - InfantRelationshipStrange SituationMother-InfantInteractionLevel of IndividualMental RepresentationLevel of InteractionRepresentationof  a SpecificMother-InfantRelationshipRep’ of anotherM-I Rel’shipRep’ of anotherM-I Rel’shipA Reconceptualization of the Developmental PathView IMaternalGenericRepresentationof Mother-InfantRelationshipInfantGenericRepresentationofCaregiver-InfantRelationshipM’s RepresentationParticularMother - InfantRelationshipMother-InfantRelationshipStrange SituationI’s Representationof Mother-InfantRelationshipMother-InfantInteractionMaternal RepresentationInfant RepresentationM’s RepresentationRel’ship withAnother ChildM’s RepresentationRel’ship withAnother ChildThe Concept of Reflective Function• Fonagy’s introduction of the concept? Capacity to understand one’s own and others actions in terms of mental states? Thus, allows for adaptive adjustment of interactive  behaviour and, therefore, ? Critical element in the process underlying the development of secure attachment relationshipsCurrent Conceptualization of Role of Reflective Function in Transmission of AttachmentReflective Function mediates impact of maternal state of mind and the attachment relationshipMaternalState of MindAttachmentRelationshipEarlyMother-InfantInteraction MaternalReflectiveFunction Research to Date on Reflective Function• Basic Predictions? Reflective Function/Attachment Security• Fonagy et al, 1991:– Secure attachment associated with higher RF• Slade (2005)– Replicate FonagyRF/AAI? Reflective Function/AAI-State of Mind• Fonagy et al (1998)– Coherency and Autonomy associated with higher RF• Replicated by Slade et al (2005) Research to Date – RF as Mediator• Slade et al. (2005)? Statistical evidence of Reflective Function as mediator between AAI-IWM and Attachment Security is inconclusive• But even if established, begs question of link between RF and quality of interactive behaviour –Maternal Sensitivity? Grienenberger et al. (2005)• Problems– AMBIANCE and Security…??!!Problems with Current Model• What is determinant of maternal behaviour –IWM or RF?• Are IWM and RF invariantly linked?• IWM and RF are distinct concepts!? Qualitative vs quantitative influences…• A re-conceptualization of the place of Reflective Function in the transmission of attachment – back to basicsReformulated Model: RF as ModeratorNon-Auton+Hi-Rf SecureLo-Rf Non-Secure+Auton StyleInteractionNon-Auton StyleInteractionAutonomous Hi/Lo-Rf SecureAuton StyleInteractionThe Current Study? 60 mothers and infants• community sample avg M age – 31 yrs• I age - 13 mos at SSP and home visit; AAI within following 6 mos? Strange Situation (12-14 mos)? Mat Beh Q-Sort in home (12-14 mos)? Adult Attachment Interview (12-18 mos)Interactive Behaviour Domains• Conceptually related to specific state of mind• Scales based on rational selection of MBQS items? Autonomous ? Responsive (Secure)? Dismissive ? Withdrawn (Avoidant)? Preoccupied ? Intrusive (Ambivalent)• Viewed as IWM-driven pattern of interaction--High RF: Dyadic Shaping-Low RF: IWM DrivenRF IndependentSpecific PredictionsPreoccupied SecureLess IntrusiveMore responsiveDismissive SecureLess WithdrawnMore responsiveAutonomous SecureResponsiveDismissive AvoidantWithdrawnPreoccupied AmbivalentIntrusiveResults of the Current Study• Basic Inter-correlations? RF and Autonomy or coherency• Failure to replicate? RF and Attachment security or rel’ship quality • Failure to replicate? Why???Results of Current Study• Exploring the Moderator Model Reflective Function and:? 1. MBQS Sensitivity - Autonomous vs non-Autonomous? 2.  Quality of interactive behaviour (Behavioural Domains) by AAI categories and Reflective Function… and ? 3.  Quality of the attachment relationship-0.100.10.20.30.40.50.60.7Low RF High RFMaternal SensitivityNon-AutonomousAutonomousMaternal Sensitivity and Reflective FunctionCorrelations Between Maternal Reflective Function and Maternal Behavioral Domains by Adult Attachment Interview ClassificationIntrusiveWithdrawnResponsive-.78*-.73*.72Preoccuppied-.19-.62**.49*Dismissing-.14-.11.06AutonomousMaternal Behavioral DomainsAAI Category--High RF: Dyadic Shaping-Low RF: IWM DrivenRF IndependentOverview of  Results - ModerationPreoccupied SecureLess IntrusiveMore responsiveDismissive SecureLess WithdrawnMore responsiveAutonomous SecureResponsiveDismissive AvoidantWithdrawnPreoccupied AmbivalentIntrusiveYes! Yes!Yes!Yes!Yes!Yes!No!No!No!No!Summary• Failure to replicate previous findings of simple associations between RF & AAI, and RF & Attach Security? Obviously, then, no evidence that RF is a mediator between IWM and Attach Sec• BUT found strong evidence of RF as moderating impact on IWM as it affects maternal behaviour? Especially impressive given that interactive behaviour measured in the home with a totally different instrumentDiscussion Points? Failure to replicate• Sample variation – really only 2 other samples studied, or….• Coding confound – AAI-trained or sophisticated coders– Coding to implicit knowledge of AAI coherence and autonomy….– Unusually hi correlations (.73) and could substitute RF for AAI in any results….? Strong evidence of a model in which RF moderates impact of IWM on maternal behaviour • Conceptually coherent and consistent with basic concept of RF and extant attachment theorySupplementary SlidesMaternal Representationof Mother - InfantRelationships - AAIMother-InfantInteraction 1Mother - InfantRelationship 1Mother - InfantRelationship 2Mother - InfantRelationship 3M-IInteraction3M-IInteraction2Level of RepresentationLevel of InteractionAffectiveScaffoldingAttachment Behaviour - ABQCognitiveScaffoldingMaternalSensitivity - MBQOther Aspectsof InteractionNon-Dyadic Contextual FactorsFigure 6

Maternal States of Mind, Reflective Function, Maternal Behavior, and the Mother-Infant Attachment Relationship

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Maternal States of Mind, Reflective Function, Maternal Behavior, and the Mother-Infant Attachment Relationship

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