Distorted maternal mental representations and atypical behavior in a clinical sample of violence-exposed mothers and their toddlers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether maternal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reflective functioning (RF), and/or quality of mental representations of her child predict maternal behavior within a referred sample of interpersonal violence-exposed mothers and their children (ages 8-50 months).


METHODS
Forty-one dyads completed two videotaped visits including measures of maternal mental representations and behavior.


RESULTS
Negative and distorted maternal mental representations predicted atypical behavior (Cohen's d>1.0). While maternal PTSD and RF impacted mental representations, no significant relationships were found between PTSD, RF, and overall atypical caregiving behavior. Severity of maternal PTSD was however positively correlated with the avoidant caregiving behavior subscale.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal mental representations of her child are useful risk-indicators that mark dysregulation of trauma-associated emotions in the caregiver.
Schechter
Daniel S
DS
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. dss11@columbia.edu
Coates
Susan W
SW
Kaminer
Tammy
T
Coots
Tammy
T
Zeanah
Charles H
CH
Davies
Mark
M
Schonfeld
Irvin S
IS
Marshall
Randall D
RD
Liebowitz
Michael R
MR
Trabka
Kimberly A
KA
McCaw
Jaime E
JE
Myers
Michael M
MM
D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires