Maternal Reflective Functioning and Attachment Security in Girls and Boys: A Closer Look into the Middle Childhood

Abstract

Child attachment undergoes major changes during middle childhood. Maternal reflective functioning (RF) is hypothesized to be an important correlate of a child’s attachment security during this period; however, the child’s gender role in this association has not been examined yet. In the present study, we used 64 mother-child (6–11 years old) dyads from a community sample to analyze the association between maternal RF and child attachment security and whether this link is moderated by gender. Maternal RF was assessed on the Parent Development Interview Revised (PDI-R2) and child attachment classifications were examined by the Child Attachment Interview (CAI). Results revealed the positive and statistically significant association between maternal RF and child attachment security in the whole sample. Further evaluations of this link in the groups of girls and boys separately indicated its significance for girls only. Finally, moderation analysis demonstrated the relation between child attachment security and maternal RF to be moderated by gender. These findings provide a new knowledge on gender role in attachment security in relation to maternal RF as well as suggest possible differentiation in the correlates on the pathway of secure attachment between girls and boys during middle childhood.

Attachment Stories in Middle Childhood: Reliability and Validity of Clinical and Nonclinical Children’s Narratives in a Structured Setting

“…Second, although gender differences for attachment are not often found [ 81 ], it appears that using narratives may show a developmental difference between boys and girls in their verbal fluency or cognitive use of scripts as a defensive strategy in dealing with attachment issues [ 22 ]. This is in line with findings that continuous coding seems more sensitive to gender differences than categorical ratings [ 51 ].…”

“…However, the ASCT is not considered as well researched as the Strange Situation or Adult Attachment Interview [ 18 ]. Other attachment instruments in middle childhood are more dependent upon the verbal skills of children, such as the Childhood Attachment Interview [ 21 , 22 , 23 ] and the Attachment Script Assessment, which was recently adapted for this age period [ 24 ]. In addition, self-report questionnaires, such as the Security Scale [ 25 ], depend on the ability of the children to reflect on their own behavior as well as the behavior of their caregivers, which is often compromised in clinical populations and not fully developed throughout middle childhood [ 18 , 19 ].…”

Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) Impact for Traumatized Children—Meaningful Change on Attachment Security and Mental Health after One Year

“…A different attachment classification is designed for all attachment figures, and for disorganized children, a second alternative classification of secure, dismissing, or preoccupied is assigned. In this study, the Lithuanian translation of the CAI was used [39]. The CAI is valued as one of the measurements that has the best psychometric characteristics to measure attachment in middle childhood [40][41][42].…”

Mentalization in Typically and Atypically Developing Iranian Children and Its Associations with Age, Sex, and Externalizing/Internalizing Symptoms

“…These responsive interactions enable the child to understand and, importantly, manage their own emotional and behavioral responses [ 3 , 4 ]. Further, as children age and are able to differentiate between the self and others, the capacity to mentalize grows [ 5 ]. High RF capacities are marked by efforts to tease out the mental states underlying behaviors, as well as by understanding the nature of mental states (e.g., their interdependence or ability to be disguised; [ 4 ]), factors that are integral to regulating one’s emotions and behaviors.…”

“…Most critically, in reflective individuals, mental states are recognized as the key to understanding behavior in oneself or another, and as a result, internal working models of emotion and intentions emerge [ 4 ]. In contrast, RF impairment is characterized by a low understanding of internal states underlying behavior, as well as an unintegrated and base understanding of how emotions are dynamic aspects of experiences and relationships [ 5 ], and are thus associated with psychopathology and interpersonal and behavioral difficulties [ 6 , 7 ].…”