title: [Mentalization and attachment transmission].
abstract: The present study was investigating the predictive role of maternal mentalizing and general as well as depressive symptom burden for attachment security at the end of the first year on a sample of 44 mother-child-dyads from a low-risk community study. Maternal mentalizing was assessed in a multidimensional way as Reflective Functioning (off-line) and Mind-Mindedness (on-line). The design was longitudinal measuring maternal Mind-Mindedness from a videotaped mother-child-play-interaction at the age of three months. General and depressive symptom burden was assessed using the SCL-90-R when the children were nine months old. Maternal attachment and Reflective-Functioning, using the Adult-Attachment-Interview, as well as children's attachment behavior, using the Strange-Situation-Test, were investigated at the age of twelve months. Secure maternal attachment was associated with higher Reflective Functioning, higher frequency of Mind-Mindedness and lower general and depressive symptom burden. A moderation-analysis showed a statistical trend (p = .08) that the interaction of the frequency of mind-related comments, general symptom severity and maternal attachment has a predictive value for infantile attachment security. Results can be tentatively interpreted that mothers with insecure attachment who had a lower general symptom burden and who related to their three-months old babies with a high frequency of mind-related-comments were more likely to have securely attached children. Thus, results may serve as a groundwork for projects aiming to prevent the transmission of insecure attachment by strengthening maternal Mind-Mindedness and working on the reduction of maternal general symptom burden.
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böhmann
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fritsch
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lück
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stumpe
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taubner
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vesterling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D064866:Mindfulness; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009769:Object Attachment; D010552:Personality Assessment; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D056345:Theory of Mind
keywords: Bindungssicherheit; allgemeine Symptombelastung; attachment security; general severity index; maternal mind-mindedness; maternal reflective-functioning; mutterliche Mind-Mindedness; mutterliches Reflective Functioning; transgenerational transmission of attachment; transgenerationale Weitergabe von Bindung