Reflective Functioning and Personality Organization: Associations With Negative Maternal Behaviors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine whether mothers who manifest insensitive and disconnected behaviors in interaction with their infants differ in terms of maternal reflective functioning (RF), personality organization, and histories of abuse. A total of 86 mother-infant dyads, 28 of them with histories of abuse, participated in the study. RF was assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview (C. George, N. Kaplan, & M. Main, 1985), and personality organization was assessed with the self-report Inventory of Personality Organization (M.F. Lenzenweger, J.F. Clarkin, O.F. Kernberg, & P.A. Foelsh, 2001; L. Normandin et al., 2002), before the birth of the baby. Maternal behaviors were assessed using the Disconnected and Extremely Insensitive Parenting measure when the infants were 15 to 18 months old. The results of multivariate analyses of covariance indicate that both RF and personality organization were associated with disconnected and extremely insensitive maternal behaviors. Mothers classified as presenting intrusive/aggressive behaviors had significantly lower RF as well as significantly more difficulties in personality organization, including reality testing, identity, and defense mechanisms. Withdrawn and disconnected maternal behaviors were associated with the combination of difficulties in mentalization and personality organization rather than difficulties in one specific area. In sum, the study provides new evidence regarding the importance of a mentalizing stance about early attachment relationships for the modulation of maternal behaviors, especially intrusive/aggressive behaviors.

Empirical typology of adolescent personality organization

“…Kernberg's theoretical assumptions and model of personality functioning have been the object of empirical scrutiny in recent years, and the relationship between PO, psychopathology, and PDs more specifically has been empirically supported in both clinical and non‐clinical adult populations (Ellison & Levy, 2012; Ensink, Rousseau, Biberdzic, Bégin, & Normandin, 2017; Gagnon, Vintiloiu, & McDuff, 2016; Pilarska & Suchańska, 2016; Sollberger & Walter, 2010; Stern et al, 2010; Yun, Stern, Lenzenweger, & Tiersky, 2013), with the construct of PO being used to measure structural aspects of personality functioning (Fischer‐Kern et al, 2010; Koelen et al, 2012). For example, in a clinical sample of patients with BPD, Sollberger and Walter (2010) found that BPD patients with high identity diffusion showed significantly higher levels of psychiatric symptoms, as well as higher anxiety, anger, and depression scores compared to BPD patients with lower identity diffusion.…”

Various mentalizing concepts in mothers with postpartum depression, comorbid anxiety, and personality disorders

“…It includes the capacity to think about, understand, interpret, and predict one's own and others’ behavior. The concept of mentalizing is being intensively investigated in the context of motherhood and postpartum psychopathology (e.g., Bigelow et al., 2018; Cordes et al., 2017; Ensink et al., 2017; Marcoux et al., 2016; Pawlby et al., 2010; Suchman et al., 2010). Various concepts and methodologies of maternal mentalization exist.…”

“…Mentalizing has recently become more relevant in women suffering from mental disorders at postpartum. Its impairment negatively affects not only maternal caregiving but also the child's mental health (Ensink et al., 2016, 2017; Slade, 2005). This seems particularly important in the context of postpartum depression (PPD), which is highly prevalent in the first year following the child's birth.…”

Maternal and Child Sexual Abuse History: An Intergenerational Exploration of Children’s Adjustment and Maternal Trauma-Reflective Functioning

“…However, CSA-exposure does not inevitably or always have negative implications for parenting. One study failed to find an association between CSA–exposure and parenting problems – working with a low risk community sample, Ensink and colleagues did not find evidence for an association between CSA-exposure and insensitive parenting (Ensink et al, 2017b) or disorganized infant attachment (Ensink et al, 2016c). However, CSA-exposed mothers report significantly more identity diffusion and primitive defenses, indicative of underlying risk mechanisms that may or may not manifest depending in their interaction with other risk factors.…”