Various mentalizing concepts in mothers with postpartum depression, comorbid anxiety, and personality disorders

Mentalization is defined as the human capacity to reflect upon one's own or others' behaviors in terms of underlying mental states and intentions. Several concepts of mentalizing exist, which differ in content, assessment, and clinical prediction.

The present study examines the relationship between the three main concepts of mentalizing, namely, reflective functioning (RF), parental reflective functioning (PRF), and Mind-Mindedness (MM), in mothers with postpartum depression. It was hypothesized that mentalizing concepts differ in their convergent and divergent variance, as well as their clinical validity regarding comorbid anxiety and personality disorders (PDs).

Fifty clinically referred mothers with postpartum depression and infants aged 3-10 months were examined by means of the Reflective Functioning Scale, Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, and Mind-Mindedness Coding-System.

No significant associations were found between RF and PRF, or between PRF and MM; higher RF was associated with more MM-nonattuned mind-related comments. Increased depression and anxiety were linked to lower PRF in terms of higher PRF-prementalizing. Lower RF, but not PRF, was associated with comorbid PDs. Specifically, obsessive-compulsive PD was associated to considerably fewer MM-nonattuned mind-related comments.

Distinct concepts of mentalizing represent divergent competencies, differentially linked to maternal postpartum psychopathology.