Cited by 369Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchAttachment and Relationship DynamicsPsychotherapy Techniques and Applications

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Reflective functioning: a review.

Katznelson, Hannah·2014·Clinical Psychology Review

DOI 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.12.003

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Abstract

Reflective functioning offers an empirically grounded framework for the assessment of mentalization. This article briefly outlines the theory of mentalization and the development of the Reflective Functioning (RF) scale (Fonagy, Target, Steele, & Steele, 1998). It then offers a review and discussion of empirical studies of parental RF regarding the role of RF in linking adult and child attachment and parental RF in the context of psychopathology. Furthermore, empirical studies on RF in relation to different psychiatric populations and to the role of RF in psychotherapy process and outcome are reviewed and discussed. Although research on RF is still relatively limited, evidence seems to support the relevance of RF as an empirical measure in the fields of attachment, psychopathology and psychotherapy research. However, the RF scale has certain limitations due to the extensiveness of the measure, which future research should take into account.

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Authors: Katznelson, H.
Affiliations: University of Copenhagen (DK)
Corresponding author: Katznelson, Hannah
ORCID: Katznelson, Hannah
Venue: Clinical Psychology Review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2014-03
Volume: 34
Issue: 2
Pages: 107-117
ISSN: 0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.12.003
OpenAlex: W2038172581
Cited by: 369
References: 82
Citations by year: 2026: 22 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 4
FWCI: 2.98
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
Locations: Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Keywords: reflective functioning, mentalization, parental reflective functioning, attachment, psychopathology, therapeutic process, psychotherapy outcome, child attachment, psychiatric populations
MeSH terms: Adult, Child, Humans, Object Attachment, Parents, Psychological Theory, Theory of Mind

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