Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Greek version of Reflective Functioning Questionnaire

Griva, Fay; Pomini, Valeria; Gournellis, Rossetos; Doumos, G; Θωμάκος, Πέτρος; Vaslamatzis, Grigoris

doi:10.22365/jpsych.2020.313.216

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(27 reference statements)

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“…The overrepresentation of the female population in both samples might cause problems in the application of the questionnaires to a more homogeneous population. However, there is no previous evidence of significant differences in RF between both sexes [ 36 ]. In the non-clinical sample, a young population, with a medium-high educational level, is overrepresented, which would require an evaluation of the performance of the scales when applying the RFQ-8 to a more diverse population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is scored with a 5-point Likert-type scale with a range from 0 ("absence of the symptom") to 4 ("total presence of the symptom"). Psychological distress, as measured by a short version of the checklist, the SCL-10, moderately correlated with RFQc (r = -0.47, p<0.01) and RFQu (r = 0.59, p<0.01) in a sample of diabetic patients [ 36 ]. Internal consistency of all the scales in the present non-clinical sample (α from 0.80 to 0.98), and clinical sample (α from 0.86 to 0.99) was good.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders

et al. 2023

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Introduction Mentalization or reflective functioning (RF) is the capacity to interpret oneself or the others in terms of internal mental states. Its failures have been linked to several mental disorders and interventions improving RF have a therapeutic effect. Mentalizing capacity of the parents influences the children’s attachment. The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) is a widely used tool for the assessment of RF. No instrument is available to assess general RF in Spanish-speaking samples. The aim of this study is to develop a Spanish version of the RFQ-8 and to evaluate its reliability and validity in the general population and in individuals with personality disorders. Methods 602 non-clinical and 41 personality disordered participants completed a Spanish translation of the RFQ and a battery of self-reported questionnaires assessing several RF related constructs (alexithymia, perspective taking, identity diffusion and mindfulness), psychopathology (general and specific) and interpersonal problems. Temporal stability was tested in a non-clinical sub-sample of 113 participants. Results Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a one-factor structure in the Spanish version of the RFQ-8. RFQ-8 understood as a single scale was tested, with low scorings reflecting genuine mentalizing, and high scorings uncertainty. The questionnaire showed good internal consistence in both samples and moderate temporal stability in non-clinical sample. RFQ correlated significantly with identity diffusion, alexithymia, and general psychopathology in both samples; and with mindfulness, perspective taking, and interpersonal problems in clinical sample. Mean values of the scale were significantly higher in the clinical group. Discussion This study provides evidence that the Spanish version of the RFQ-8, understood as a single scale, has an adequate reliability and validity assessing failures in reflective functioning (i.e., hypomentalization) in general population and personality disorders.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders

et al. 2023

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“…Overall, 6-6 variables form the two subscales and responses on four items of the RFQ-8 are simultaneously considered on both subscales. By using this scoring procedure, various previous studies confirmed the two-factor structure of the RFQ-8 in clinical and non-clinical samples [1,[18][19][20][21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 64%

The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire–Revised– 7 (RFQ-R-7): A new measurement model assessing hypomentalization

et al. 2023

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Although it is a widely used questionnaire, limitations regarding the scoring procedure and the structural validity of the eight-item Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8) were raised. The present study aimed to examine further the latent dimensionality of the RFQ-8 and to examine linear and non-linear associations between mentalization difficulties and maladaptive psychological characteristics. Data from two separate representative samples of young adults (N = 3890; females: 51.68%; mean age: 27.06 years [SD = 4.76]) and adults (N = 1385; females: 53.20%; mean age: 41.77 years [SD = 13.08]) were used. In addition to the RFQ-8, standardized questionnaires measured the levels of impulsivity, sensation seeking, rumination, worry and well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the model fit of competing measurement models. CFA revealed that a revised, seven-item version of the RFQ (RFQ-R-7) with a unidimensional structure showed the most optimal levels of model fit in both samples. Impulsivity, sensation seeking, rumination and worry consistently presented significant, positive, linear associations with general mentalization difficulties in both samples. Significant quadratic associations were also identified, but these relationships closely followed the linear associations between the variables and increased only marginally the explained variance. The supported unidimensional measurement model and the associations between the general mentalization difficulties factor and maladaptive psychological characteristics indicated that the RFQ-R-7 captures a dimension of hypomentalization ranging between low and high levels of uncertainty. Increasing levels of hypomentalization can indicate a risk for less adaptive psychological functioning. Further revisions of the RFQ-8 might be warranted in the future to ensure adequate measurement for hypermentalization.

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“…The RFQ-8 has been widely used in different populations and has been translated in many languages. Its psychometric properties have been evaluated in general population in English, French, Italian, Greek, German, Polish and Spanish; in clinical samples, e.g., in patients with personality disorders, and other psychiatric patients, in English, Italian, German and Spanish; and in type 1 diabetes adults in Greek [9,29,40,41,[44][45][46][47]. The two-factor structure of the original RFQ-8 was further confirmed by some of these studies, thereby substantiating the instrument's reliability and validity [29,44,45].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Its psychometric properties have been evaluated in general population in English, French, Italian, Greek, German, Polish and Spanish; in clinical samples, e.g., in patients with personality disorders, and other psychiatric patients, in English, Italian, German and Spanish; and in type 1 diabetes adults in Greek [9,29,40,41,[44][45][46][47]. The two-factor structure of the original RFQ-8 was further confirmed by some of these studies, thereby substantiating the instrument's reliability and validity [29,44,45]. It should be noted that while longer versions of the RFQ (RFQ-54) have been used, maintaining the same two-factor structure (RFQ_C, RFQ_U), these versions lack extensive studies confirming their reliability and validity (e.g., [48]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A short version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validation in a greek sample

Karagiannopoulou,

Milienos,

Desatnik

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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This study aims to validate the Greek version of the 54-item Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), a measure designed to assess an individual’s capacity for understanding themselves and others based on internal mental states. This capacity, also known as Reflective Functioning (RF) or mentalizing, is believed to play a significant role in both typical and atypical development. The validation process examined the factor structure of the RFQ and its relationship with a variety of psychosocial and clinical constructs that have theoretical and empirical links to RF. Additionally, this research investigated the factor structure’s invariance across gender and age groups to determine the robustness of the instrument. A unique contribution of this work lies in examining the application of the RFQ to attachment classifications through the use of cluster analysis. The sample consisted of 875 Greek adults from the general community with a mean age of 28.5 and a median age of 22. Participants completed the Greek RFQ along with a series of self-report questionnaires assessing psychosocial constructs, including attachment, epistemic trust, emotion regulation, and psychological mindedness, as well as clinical variables such as anxiety, depression, and borderline personality traits. Our findings suggest that a shorter, 31-item version of the questionnaire provides a robust three-factor structure across a non-clinical Greek adult population. The three identified subscales are (a) excessive certainty, (b) interest/curiosity, and (c) uncertainty/confusion, all demonstrating satisfactory reliability and construct validity. The uncertainty subscale was found to be associated with insecure attachment styles, epistemic mistrust and credulity, emotional suppression, and low psychological mindedness. In contrast, the certainty and curiosity subscales were linked to secure attachment, epistemic trust, emotion reappraisal, and psychological mindedness. Uncertainty was further shown to differ significantly across probable clinical and non-clinical groups, as distinguished by cut-off scores for anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, the certainty and interest/curiosity subscales only varied between the two BPD groups. Our results provide the first evidence supporting the use of a 31-item version of the RFQ with three validated subscales to reliably assess reflective functioning in the Greek population, demonstrating stronger psychometric properties compared to other RFQ versions reported in previous studies. Findings suggest that impaired mentalizing capacity, as measured by the RFQ, is linked to insecure attachment, epistemic mistrust and credulity, poor emotion regulation, and low psychological mindedness, and potentially plays a role in adult mental health symptoms.

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Psychometric properties and factor structure of the Greek version of Reflective Functioning Questionnaire

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders

The Spanish version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validity data in the general population and individuals with personality disorders

The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire–Revised– 7 (RFQ-R-7): A new measurement model assessing hypomentalization

A short version of the reflective functioning questionnaire: Validation in a greek sample

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