Improving the parent-child relationship and child adjustment through parental reflective functioning group...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Parental reflective functioning (PRF) is crucial for parent-child relationship quality.
• Existing interventions often lack focus on enhancing maternal reflective capacities.
• Understanding the impact of targeted programs on PRF is essential for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the 12-week DUET group intervention program on maternal reflective functioning (PRF).
• To assess the impact of the DUET program on mother-child emotional availability, child self-regulation, and behavioral problems.
• To determine the stability of PRF improvements over a 6-month follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• Seventy mothers participated in the DUET group intervention.
• Parental reflective functioning (PRF) was assessed using observational (mind-mindedness) and interview (PDI) methods.
• Maternal sense of efficacy, parental beliefs, mother-child interaction, child self-regulation, and behavioral problems were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in PRF, parental beliefs, and parental sense of efficacy post-intervention.
• The intervention led to more positive mother-child interactions, decreased child behavioral problems, and increased child self-regulation.
• These positive outcomes remained stable at the 6-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The DUET program is effective in enhancing maternal reflective functioning and related outcomes.
• The intervention demonstrates lasting benefits for the parent-child relationship and child development.
• Findings support the integration of the DUET program in clinical settings for parental support.