Self‐report measure of parental reflective functioning: A study of reliability and validity across three samples of varying clinical risk

Carlone, Christina; Milan, Stephanie; Decoste, Cindy; Borelli, Jessica L.; McMahon, Thomas J.; Suchman, Nancy E.

doi:10.1002/imhj.22046

Cited by 35Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchAttachment and Relationship DynamicsMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Self‐report measure of parental reflective functioning: A study of reliability and validity across three samples of varying clinical risk

Carlone, Christina, Milan, Stephanie, Decoste, Cindy, Borelli, Jessica L., McMahon, Thomas J., Suchman, Nancy E.·2023·Infant Mental Health Journal

DOI 10.1002/imhj.22046

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) provides an efficient way to measure a parent's capacity to recognize their child's mental states and to understand the relationship between underlying mental states and behavior. To date, limited work evaluates its psychometric properties beyond initial validation studies. Here we examined the reliability and validity of the PRFQ in three samples of varying clinical risk (e.g., community sample, previous mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder diagnosis). Across samples, the majority (e.g., 75%–78%) of mothers identified as White; all mothers were from the USA. We compared the PRFQ to task‐based measures of mentalization, the Parent Development Interview (PDI), and measures of the parent‐child relationship. The PRFQ was a reliable measure across samples, and it was associated in theoretically consistent ways with task‐based measures of mentalization. Parental RF across the PDI and PRFQ were not highly correlated in a sample of mothers with substance use disorders. Existing RF measures may be tapping into a different component of the broader construct of parental reflective functioning (PRF). The PRFQ was further validated by demonstrating relationships with parent‐report measures of the parent‐child relationship. Taken together, these findings provide additional support for the reliability and validity of the PRFQ.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/imhj.22046

Cites

39 of 39 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

The validity of self-report measures to assess parenting representations such as parental reflective functioning and caregiving helplessness has been questioned.
“The validity of self-report measures to assess parenting representations such as parental reflective functioning and caregiving helplessness has been questioned [17, 64, 65]”
From Optimizing parenting and child outcomes following parent–child interaction therapy – toddler: a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [17]

Untitled work
(1978) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 12,570 · see citing works
Amazon's Mechanical Turk: A New Source of Inexpensive, Yet High-Quality, Data?
Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691610393980 · Cited by 9,996 · see citing works
Guidelines, criteria, and rules of thumb for evaluating normed and standardized assessment instruments in psychology.
Cicchetti, D. V. (1994) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.6.4.284 · Cited by 9,349 · see citing works
The “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” Test Revised Version: A Study with Normal Adults, and Adults with Asperger Syndrome or High‐functioning Autism
Baron‐Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Hill, J., Raste, Y., & Plumb, I. (2001) · Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/1469-7610.00715 · Cited by 4,555 · see citing works
Parenting Stress Index
Abidin, R. R. (1990) · PsycTESTS Dataset · doi:10.1037/t02445-000 · Cited by 1,618 · see citing works
The Significance of Insecure Attachment and Disorganization in the Development of Children’s Externalizing Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Study
Fearon, R. P., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Van IJzendoorn, M. H., Lapsley, A.-M., & Roisman, G. I. (2010) · Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01405.x · Cited by 1,326 · see citing works
Parental reflective functioning: An introduction
Slade, A. (2005) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616730500245906 · Cited by 1,209 · see citing works
Using Mechanical Turk to Study Clinical Populations
Shapiro, D. N., Chandler, J., & Mueller, P. A. (2013) · Clinical Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/2167702612469015 · Cited by 1,139 · see citing works
Maternal reflective functioning, attachment and the transmission gap: a preliminary study.
Slade, A., Grienenberger, J., Bernbach, E., Levy, D., & Locker, A. (2005) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616730500245880 · Cited by 785 · see citing works
Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure of Mentalizing: The Reflective Functioning Questionnaire
Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., Moulton-Perkins, A., Lee, Y.-W., Warren, F., Howard, S., Ghinai, R., Fearon, P., & Lowyck, B. (2016) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158678 · Cited by 754 · see citing works
Implications of attachment theory for developmental psychopathology
Sroufe, L. A., Carlson, E. A., Levy, A. K., & Egeland, B. R. (1999) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579499001923 · Cited by 664 · see citing works
The Adult Attachment Interview and self-reports of attachment style: An empirical rapprochement.
Roisman, G. I., Holland, A. S., Fortuna, K., Fraley, R. C., Clausell, E., & Clarke, A. (2007) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.4.678 · Cited by 533 · see citing works
‘Theory of Mind’ is not Theory of Emotion: a cautionary note on the reading the Mind in the Eyes test
Oakley, B. F. M., Brewer, R., Bird, G., & Catmur, C. (2016) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/abn0000182 · Cited by 405 · see citing works
Minding the baby: enhancing reflectiveness to improve early health and relationship outcomes in an interdisciplinary home-visiting program.
Sadler, L. S., Slade, A., Close, N., Webb, D. L., Simpson, T., Fennie, K., & Mayes, L. C. (2013) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21406 · Cited by 313 · see citing works
Parental Reflective Functioning: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications
Luyten, P., Nijssens, L., Fonagy, P., & Mayes, L. C. (2017) · The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child · doi:10.1080/00797308.2016.1277901 · Cited by 256 · see citing works
A psychometric analysis of the reading the mind in the eyes test: toward a brief form for research and applied settings
Olderbak, S., Wilhelm, O., Olaru, G., Geiger, M., Brenneman, M. W., & Roberts, R. D. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01503 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Mothering From the Inside Out: Results of a second randomized clinical trial testing a mentalization-based intervention for mothers in addiction treatment
Suchman, N. E., DeCoste, C. L., McMahon, T. J., Dalton, R., Mayes, L. C., & Borelli, J. (2017) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579417000220 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Self-citation
The Mothers and Toddlers Program, an attachment-based parenting intervention for substance using women: Post-treatment results from a randomized clinical pilot
Suchman, N. E., DeCoste, C., Castiglioni, N., McMahon, T. J., Rounsaville, B., & Mayes, L. (2010) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616734.2010.501983 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Self-citation
Parental reflective functioning is associated with tolerance of infant distress but not general distress: evidence for a specific relationship using a simulated baby paradigm.
Rutherford, H. J. V., Goldberg, B., Luyten, P., Bridgett, D. J., & Mayes, L. C. (2013) · Infant Behavior and Development · doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2013.06.008 · Cited by 167 · see citing works
The eyes test as a measure of individual differences: how much of the variance reflects verbal IQ?
Peterson, E., & Miller, S. F. (2012) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00220 · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Associations between Emotion Regulation and Parental Reflective Functioning
Schultheis, A., Mayes, L. C., & Rutherford, H. J. V. (2019) · Journal of Child and Family Studies · doi:10.1007/s10826-018-01326-z · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Who mothers mommy? Factors that contribute to mothers’ well-being.
Luthar, S. S., & Ciciolla, L. M. (2015) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/dev0000051 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Using Mechanical Turk to Study Family Processes and Youth Mental Health: A Test of Feasibility
Schleider, J. L., & Weisz, J. R. (2015) · Journal of Child and Family Studies · doi:10.1007/s10826-015-0126-6 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Mothers and Fathers of School-Aged Children
Pazzagli, C., Delvecchio, E., Raspa, V., Mazzeschi, C., & Luyten, P. (2017) · Journal of Child and Family Studies · doi:10.1007/s10826-017-0856-8 · Cited by 108 · see citing works
Attachment‐based intervention for substance‐using mothers: A preliminary test of the proposed mechanisms of change
Suchman, N. E., Decoste, C., Rosenberger, P., & McMahon, T. J. (2012) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21311 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Self-citation
EFFICACY OF THE 20-WEEK CIRCLE OF SECURITY INTERVENTION: CHANGES IN CAREGIVER REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING, REPRESENTATIONS, AND CHILD ATTACHMENT IN AN AUSTRALIAN CLINICAL SAMPLE
Huber, A., McMahon, C. A., & Sweller, N. (2015) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21540 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Convergent Validity of Three Measures of Reflective Function: Parent Development Interview, Parental Reflective Function Questionnaire, and Reflective Function Questionnaire
Anis, L., Perez, G., Benzies, K., Ewashen, C., Hart, M. J., & Letourneau, N. L. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.574719 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Mentalization-based treatments with children and families: A systematic review of the literature
Byrne, G., Murphy, S., & Connon, G. (2020) · Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/1359104520920689 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Reassessing the validity of the attachment Q‐sort: An updated meta‐analysis
Cadman, T., Diamond, P. R., & Fearon, P. R. M. (2017) · Infant and Child Development · doi:10.1002/icd.2034 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Reflective functioning, physiological reactivity, and overcontrol in mothers: Links with school-aged children’s reflective functioning.
Borelli, J. L., Hong, K., Rasmussen, H. F., & Smiley, P. A. (2017) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/dev0000371 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Self-citation
In a father’s mind: paternal reflective functioning, sensitive parenting, and protection against socioeconomic risk
Buttitta, K. V., Smiley, P. A., Kerr, M. L., Rasmussen, H. F., Querdasi, F. R., & Borelli, J. L. (2019) · Attachment & Human Development · doi:10.1080/14616734.2019.1582596 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Self-citation
PATERNAL AND MATERNAL REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING IN THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PEEL CHILD HEALTH STUDY
Cooke, D., Priddis, L. E., Luyten, P., Kendall, G. E., & Cavanagh, R. F. (2017) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21664 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Advancing Optimal Development in Children: Examining the Construct Validity of a Parent Reflective Functioning Questionnaire
Roo, M. D., Wong, G., Rempel, G. R., & Fraser, S. N. (2019) · JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting · doi:10.2196/11561 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Latino and Latin American Parenting
Halgunseth, L. C. (2019) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780429398995-2 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Higher maternal reflective functioning is associated with toddlers’ adaptive emotion regulation
Borelli, J. L., Lai, J., Smiley, P. A., Kerr, M. L., Buttitta, K. V., Hecht, H. K., & Rasmussen, H. F. (2020) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.21904 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Self-citation
Exploring parental mentalization in postnatal phase with a self-report questionnaire (PRFQ): Factor structure, gender differences and association with sociodemographic factors. The Finn Brain Birth Cohort Study
Pajulo, M., Tolvanen, M., Pyykkönen, N., Karlsson, L., Mayes, L. C., & Karlsson, H. (2017) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2017.09.020 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Pathways to Adolescent Internalizing: Early Attachment Insecurity as a Lasting Source of Vulnerability
Milan, S., Zona, K., & Snow, S. T. (2012) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2012.736357 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citation
Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a community‐based randomized efficacy trial testing a mentalization‐based parenting intervention for mothers with addictions
Lowell, A. F., DeCoste, C., Dalton, R., Dias, H., Borelli, J. L., Martino, S., McMahon, T. J., & Suchman, N. E. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22043 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Self-citation
Understanding Children’s Emotions: Differences in Mothers With a History of Childhood Maltreatment
Milan, S., Carlone, C., Printz, D. M. B., & Perez, S. D. (2020) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559520972188 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Self-citation

Flagged first, then by citations

Sorted by citations

Is parental depression related to parental mentalizing? A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis
Georg, A. K., Meyerhöfer, S., Taubner, S., & Volkert, J. (2023) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102322 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Parental mentalization and children’s externalizing problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Nieto-Retuerto, M., de Cádiz, B. T. G., & Alonso‐Arbiol, I. (2024) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579424001391 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Relationship focused mother–infant groups: Preliminary evaluation of improvements in maternal mental health, parenting confidence, and parental reflective functioning
Cooke, S. A., Cooke, D., & Hauck, Y. L. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22080 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Mothering from the Inside Out: Results of a community‐based randomized efficacy trial testing a mentalization‐based parenting intervention for mothers with addictions
Lowell, A. F., DeCoste, C., Dalton, R., Dias, H., Borelli, J. L., Martino, S., McMahon, T. J., & Suchman, N. E. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22043 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Self-citation
Precursors and Effects of Self-reported Parental Reflective Functioning: Links to Parental Attachment Representations and Behavioral Sensitivity
Kungl, M., Gabler, S., White, L. O., Spangler, G., & Vrtička, P. (2024) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi:10.1007/s10578-023-01654-2 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Optimizing parenting and child outcomes following parent–child interaction therapy – toddler: a randomized controlled trial
Kohlhoff, J., Wallace, N., Cibralic, S., Morgan, S., Briggs, N. E., McMahon, C., Hawkins, E., Druskin, L., Owen, C., Lieneman, C., et al. (2024) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-024-02171-0 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…of self-report measures to assess parenting representations such as parental reflective functioning and caregiving helplessness has been questioned [17, 64, 65], and a different result may have been obtained had an interview-based assessment been utilised, e.g., Parent Development Interview [78]…”
Infant carrying: Associations with parental reflective functioning, parental bonding and parental responses to infant crying
Firk, C., & Großheinrich, N. (2024) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22106 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Self‐reported reflective functioning and father–child interactions in a sample of fathers who have used intimate partner violence
Stover, C. S., Farren, A. R., Campbell, R. J., Day, M. J., & Sernyak, Z. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22044 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Psychometric evaluation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Polish mothers
Kamza, A., Luyten, P., & Piotrowski, K. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0299427 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Savoring interventions for mothers of young children: Mechanisms linking relational savoring and personal savoring to reflective functioning
Borelli, J. L., Kazmierski, K. F. M., Gaskin, G. E., Kerr, M. L., Smiley, P. A., & Rasmussen, H. F. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22038 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Self-citation
Capturing a mentalized moment: A pilot study of the psychometric properties of a novel assessment method of mentalizing in daily life
Steinberg, N., Moshe-Cohen, R., Sheena, L., & Kivity, Y. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04963-w · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Predicting fidelity and treatment outcomes in savoring interventions among mothers of young children
Borelli, J. L., Perzolli, S., Kerr, M., & Smiley, P. A. (2024) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22130 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Self-citation
Reframing caring for parents who struggle with substance‐use disorders
Mayes, L. C. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22052 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The significance of parental mentalizing for four-year-old children’s solitary pretend play
Smith‐Nielsen, J., Stuart, A. C., Wendelboe, K. I., Egmose, I., Roos, C. O., & Væver, M. S. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0297671 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“If I could read your mind…”: parental mentalizing in mothers with borderline personality disorder
Zitzmann, J., Georg, A. K., Rosenbach, C., & Renneberg, B. (2025) · Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation · doi:10.1186/s40479-025-00290-7 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Day-to-day fluctuations in parental reflective functioning: The role of parenting stress and perceived adolescent difficulties
Fiore, S., Luyten, P., Vliegen, N., Flamant, N., Malcorps, S., & Soenens, B. (2025) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579425100849 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Within- and between-session changes of in-session reflective functioning of mothers in dyadic parent–infant psychotherapy
Georg, A. K., Kasper, L. A., Neubauer, A. B., Selic, M., & Taubner, S. (2024) · Psychotherapy Research · doi:10.1080/10503307.2024.2323617 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Enhancing parental reflective functioning: A special tribute to the life and work of Nancy E. Suchman, PhD
Borelli, J. L., DeCoste, C. L., & McMahon, T. J. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22049 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Self-citation
Bringing a mentalizing framework to understanding mothers with addiction: The groundbreaking work of Nancy E. Suchman
Slade, A. (2023) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.22051 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Identifying Profiles of Parental Reflective Functioning in First-Time Parents and Associations with Parental Attachment and Infant Socioemotional Adjustment
Madsen, E. B., Egmose, I., Stuart, A. C., Krogh, M. T., Haase, T. W., Karstoft, K., & Væver, M. S. (2024) · Parenting · doi:10.1080/15295192.2024.2423808 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Parental considerations about their childs’ mental health: Validating the German adaptation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire
Wildner, A., Küçükakyüz, S. M., Marx, A. K. G., Nolte, T., Reck, C., Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., von Tettenborn, A., Müller, M., Zietlow, A., et al. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0314074 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Validation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Finnish mothers and fathers of toddlers
Flykt, M. S., Haarala, H., Pyhältö, K., Minkkinen, J., & Kalland, M. (2025) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.70006 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
A preliminary validation of PMQ—A four-factor questionnaire measuring parental mentalizing
Teräsahjo, T., Turunen, T., Lahtinen, O., & Salmivalli, C. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1250092 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Maternal reflective functioning in pregnancy and parenting during the preschool period
Drury, G., Elezi, J., Kondor, L., Beeghly, M., Trentacosta, C. J., Thomason, M. E., & Stacks, A. M. (2025) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.70025 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Examining associations between Adult Attachment Interview responses and multiple indicators of parental mentalizing
Parkin, N., Bird, A. L., Henderson, A. M. E., Risi, A., & Pickard, J. A. (2026) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.70072 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Assessing parental capacity in abusive fathers – A pilot study in child social welfare using an interview based on reflective functioning
Hultmann, O., Søe, M. A., Broberg, A. G., & Möller, C. M. (2026) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.108931 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The relation of different constructs of parental mentalization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Steinmassl, K., Eilts, J., & Paulus, M. (2026) · Developmental Review · doi:10.1016/j.dr.2026.101270 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Relationship between Parental Stress and Child’s Behavioral Problems with the Moderating Role of Maternal Reflective Functioning: A Descriptive Study
Massoudi, S., & Behzadpoor, S. (2024) · مجله علمی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی رفسنجان · doi:10.61186/jrums.23.4.193
Parental Factors Moderate the Association Between COVID-19 Disruption and Adolescent Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
Kessel, K. V., Aitken, C., & Nilsen, E. S. (2024) · The Journal of Early Adolescence · doi:10.1177/02724316241311131
One size does not fit all: Associations between child characteristics, differential treatment of children by educators and quality in child care centers
Perlman, M., Nocita, G., Sokolovic, N., Falenchuk, O., & Jenkins, J. M. (2025) · Early Childhood Research Quarterly · doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.03.002
Reflective functioning in anorexia nervosa: does it differ from healthy controls and what is its relation to psychopathology?
Kanstinger, L. M., Zeeck, A., Hartmann, A., Eyschen, A. M., Andreas, S., Hüwe, L., Lahmann, C., & Lau, I. (2025) · Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1186/s40337-025-01465-x
From mother to child: a protocol paper on the longitudinal effects of a perinatal intervention on maternal self-efficacy and emotion regulation and child outcomes
Montreuil, T. C., Skinner, J. K., Humez, L., Gratton, C., Herba, C. M., & Côté, S. M. (2026) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-110580
Parental Psychiatric Symptoms and Child Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: Exploring the Mediating Role of Parental Reflective Functioning in Parents With Mental Disorders
Kaas, A. J., Pépin, O., Simonsen, S., Sørensen, P., Vaever, M., Egmose, I., & Hestbæk, E. (2026) · Early Intervention in Psychiatry · doi:10.1111/eip.70208
Maternal bonding in mothers of infants with excessive crying, sleeping, and/or eating disorders: the role of maternal stress and infant temperament
Mrakovits, J., Mall, V., & Licata‐Dandel, M. (2026) · Frontiers in Developmental Psychology · doi:10.3389/fdpys.2026.1831323
Minding toddlers: a statistical analysis of maternal depression and reflective functioning at Anna Freud’s Parent-Toddler Groups
Ruiz-Tagle, F., & Pretorius, I. (2026) · Journal of Child Psychotherapy · doi:10.1080/0075417x.2026.2708990

Parental considerations about their childs’ mental health: Validating the German adaptation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire
Wildner, A., Küçükakyüz, S. M., Marx, A. K. G., Nolte, T., Reck, C., Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., von Tettenborn, A., Müller, M., Zietlow, A., et al. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0314074 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
The parental reflective functioning questionnaire: Development and preliminary validation
Luyten, P., Mayes, L. C., Nijssens, L., & Fonagy, P. (2017) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0176218 · Cited by 518 · see citing works
Validation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Finnish mothers and fathers of toddlers
Flykt, M. S., Haarala, H., Pyhältö, K., Minkkinen, J., & Kalland, M. (2025) · Infant Mental Health Journal · doi:10.1002/imhj.70006 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Measuring Parental Reflective Functioning: Further Validation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Portuguese Mothers of Infants and Young Children
Moreira, H., & Fonseca, A. (2022) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi:10.1007/s10578-021-01288-2 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Psychometric evaluation of the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire in Polish mothers
Kamza, A., Luyten, P., & Piotrowski, K. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0299427 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Authors: Carlone, C., Milan, S., Decoste, C., Borelli, J. L., McMahon, T. J., & Suchman, N. E.
Affiliations: University of Connecticut (US)
Yale University (US)
University of California, Irvine (US)
Corresponding author: Carlone, Christina
ORCID: Carlone, Christina
Milan, Stephanie
Borelli, Jessica L.
McMahon, Thomas J.
Suchman, Nancy E.
Venue: Infant Mental Health Journal
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2023-03
Volume: 44
Issue: 2
Pages: 240-254
ISSN: 0163-9641 (ISSN-L)
1097-0355
DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22046
OpenAlex: W4322726625
Cited by: 35
References: 39
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 9
FWCI: 10.17
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Infant Mental Health Journal (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA017294)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Keywords: parental reflective functioning, mentalization, parent-child relationship, psychometric validation, reliability statistics, validity, substance use disorders, mothers
MeSH terms: Female, Humans, Mothers, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reproducibility of Results, Self Report

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Self‐report measure of parental reflective functioning: A study of reliability and validity across three samples of varying clinical risk

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Cites

Cited by

Related

Record

About these checks