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Cited by 485Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology ResearchAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

The Parent's Capacity to Treat the Child as a Psychological Agent: Constructs, Measures and Implications for Developmental Psychopathology

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Sharp, Carla, Fonagy, Peter·2008·Social Development
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00457.x
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Abstract

Recent studies of the relationship between parenting and child development have included a focus on the parent's capacity to treat the child as a psychological agent. Several constructs have been developed to refer to this capacity, for example maternal mind‐mindedness, reflective functioning, and parental mentalizing. In this review article, we compare and contrast different constructs from diverse theoretical backgrounds that have been developed to operationalize parental mentalizing. We examine the empirical evidence to date in support of each of the constructs and review the relevant measures associated with each construct. Next, we discuss the possibility that these apparently diverse constructs may tap into the same underlying neurobiological socio‐cognitive system. We conclude by proposing a testable model for describing the links between parental mentalization, the development of mentalizing in children, and child psychopathology.

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  1. Bronfman, E., Parsons, E., & Lyons-Ruth, K. (1999). Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification (AMBIANCE): Manual for coding disrupted affective communication, Version 2: Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA.
  2. Dix, T., & Crusec, J.E. (1985). Parent attribution processes in the socialization of children. In I.E. Sigel (Ed.), Parental beliefs systems (pp. 201-234).
  3. Winchester: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
  4. George, C., Kaplan, N., & Main, M. (1984). The Adult Attachment Interview. Unpublished protocol (3rd edition): Department of Psychology, University of California at Berkeley.
  5. Steele, M. (2003). A longitudinal study of previously maltreated children: Attachment representations and adoption. Paper presented at the conference Developmental Science and Psychoanalysis: Integration and Innovation, Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT.
  6. Thomas, A., Chess, S., & Birch, H.G. (1968). Temperament and behavior disorders in childhood. New York: New York University Press.
  7. Winnicott, D.W. (1965). The maturational process and the facilitative environment. New York: International Universities Press.

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Authors
Sharp, C., & Fonagy, P.
Affiliations
  • Baylor College of Medicine (US)
  • University College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Sharp, Carla
ORCID
Venue
Social Development
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2008-07-15
Volume
17
Issue
3
Pages
737-754
ISSN
  • 0961-205X (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-9507
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00457.x
OpenAlex
W2141030151
Cited by
480
References
86
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 10
FWCI
10.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Social Development (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords
maternal mind-mindedness, reflective functioning, parenting, child development, child psychopathology, theory of mind

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