title: Maternal mind-mindedness and children's behavioral difficulties: mitigating the impact of low socioeconomic status.
abstract: Relations between mothers' tendency to comment appropriately on their 8-month-olds' internal states (mind-mindedness) and children's behavioral difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) at ages 44 and 61 months were investigated in a socially diverse sample (N = 171, 88 boys). Controlling for maternal depressive symptoms, perceived social support, sensitivity, child language ability, and child gender, maternal mind-mindedness was negatively related to children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors specifically in low socioeconomic status (SES) families. Furthermore, behavioral difficulties at age 44 months mediated the relation between maternal mind-mindedness and behavioral difficulties at age 61 months, but only for low SES families. These findings are discussed with reference to possible ways in which mind-mindedness could inform interventions targeted at at-risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Wolfson Research Institute, Durham University, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK. elizabeth.meins@durham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meins
authors.forename: Luna C Muñoz
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Centifanti
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernyhough
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fishburn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012923:Social Class; D056345:Theory of Mind / Q000502:physiology*