On the triadic origin of reflective functioning
Item
-
Title
-
On the triadic origin of reflective functioning
-
Identifier
-
d_2009_2013:a8faa9f0caef:11268
-
identifier
-
11657
-
Creator
-
Goren, Dana,
-
Contributor
-
Arietta Slade
-
Date
-
2012
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Clinical psychology | Developmental psychology | Attachment | child development | fathers | mentalization | Oedipus | triads
-
Abstract
-
The present study adopts a 'three-person psychology' model in understanding the mental lives of young children. Integrating psychoanalytic, attachment and family systems formulations regarding the regulatory functions of the mother-father-child triad, it explores the triadic underpinnings of mentalization capacities at age 6. It was hypothesized that parents' capacity to mentalize about the mother-father-child triangle would be linked to the quality of the child's representations of self and others as intentional beings. Furthermore, the study explored the possibility that the interactive qualities of the triad mediate between parental mentalization and child mentalization. An exploratory study was conducted with a community-based sample of 6 triads of mother-father and their 6-year-old firstborn child. Parents were interviewed individually using the Parental Triadic Interview (PTI; Goren, Slade & Aber, 2010). Interactive qualities of the triads were assessed based on a pretend picnic play (Frascarolo & Favez, 2005). In addition, each child was administered 6 Story Stems (MSSB; Bretherton, Oppenheim, Buchsbaum, & Emde, 1990), and Affect Task (Steele, Steele & Fonagy, 1994).;Qualitative analysis revealed continuity across representational and interactive domains: couples who manifested strong and balanced triadic RF capacities also engaged in collaborative and inclusive three-way play. In contrast, parents with a low level of mentalization and notable difficulties around reflecting on the child-partner relationship, evidenced a competitive three-way play. In line with the study's exploratory hypothesis there were associations between parental RF and child RF: The children of the least reflective couples exhibited substantially higher aggressive themes in their story stems and labile ability for narrative coherence and intentionality.;The preliminary findings support the notion of intergenerational transmission of RF capacities as a multi-person process with complex additive relationships between maternal and paternal triadic RF competences. A three-fold typology of cooperative/strained/disrupted triads is discussed. Additionally, The study challenges gender-based parental roles in child development literature. Implications for the theory of Oedipus complex resolution are discussed, as well as gender differences in RF development in childhood.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
2009_2013.csv
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
-
Program
-
Psychology
