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STRENGTHENING THE REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING CAPACITIES OF PARENTS WHO HAVE A CHILD WITH A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY

Julie Sealy1, Ira P Glovinsky1

  • 1Fielding Graduate University.

Infant Mental Health Journal
|February 20, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Caregiver reflective functioning improved significantly after a 12-week developmental individual-difference, relationship-based/floortime (DIR/FT) intervention for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often present with social communication challenges.
  • Caregiver reflective functioning is crucial for supporting child development and relationships.
  • Parental mentalization capacities can impact child social-emotional outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of a developmental individual-difference, relationship-based/floortime (DIR/FT) intervention on parental reflective functioning.
  • To compare changes in reflective functioning between a DIR/FT group and a wait-list control group.
  • To assess the effectiveness of a relationship-focused intervention for caregivers of young children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 40 parent-child dyads in Barbados.
  • Participants were assigned to either a 12-week DIR/FT intervention group or a psychoeducational wait-list group.
  • Parental reflective functioning was measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

  • The DIR/FT treatment group showed significant improvements in parental reflective functioning compared to the wait-list group.
  • The 12-week relationship-focused intervention led to measurable gains in caregivers' mentalization abilities.
  • These findings suggest the efficacy of DIR/FT in enhancing caregiver capacities.

Conclusions:

  • The developmental individual-difference, relationship-based/floortime (DIR/FT) intervention is effective in enhancing parental reflective functioning.
  • Relationship-focused interventions can positively impact caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • Improved caregiver reflective functioning may support better social-emotional development in children.

Keywords:
DIRFloortimeDIRFloortime®Eltern-Kind-BeziehungFonctionnement de réflexionMentalisierungsfähigkeitdiscapacidad neural de desarrollofuncionamiento reflexivohandicap neurodéveloppementalneurodevelopmental disabilityneurologische Entwicklungsstörungparent-child relationshipreflective functioningrelación progenitor-niñorelation parent-enfantリフレクティブな機能反思功能発達と個人差と関係性に基づくフロアタイムDIRFloortime®神経発達障害神經發育障礙親と子の関係性親子關係

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