Observe, listen, wonder, and respond: A preliminary exploration of reflective function skills in early care providers

Parents' behaviors demonstrating reflective capacity towards their children, parental reflective functioning, have been identified as central to both the formation of a secure attachment and therapeutic efforts to remediate attachment problems (Fonagy & Target, 2005; Sadler, Slade, & Mayes, 2006). We hypothesize that reflective skills in providers may be key elements in effecting change through the parent-professional relationship. As a first step, the present study examined early care and intervention providers' self-report of the importance of reflective practice skills in their work with families of young children. We further examined whether provider characteristics such as professional affiliation and experience related to importance ratings. Lastly, we examined, in a preliminary fashion, whether provider valuing of reflective functioning skills is associated with reported practice using hypothetical vignettes drawn from common home-visiting scenarios.