1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The aim of this study was to examine evidence for the theoretically assumed intergenerational pathway from mothers’ RF [reflective functioning] regarding attachment through parenting to infant attachment.» (p. 9)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«We predicted that whereas RF associated maternal sensitivity would promote attachment security in the infant, low RF would be associated with more disconnected and intrusive aggressive behaviours, which in turn would be associated with an increased risk of attachment disorganization.» (p. 11)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
L’étude est basée sur la participation de 88 dyades mère-enfant originaires d’une ville québécoise (''French-Canadian city'' dans le texte).

Instruments :
Grille d’observation

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«The study findings showed that mothers RF about attachment measured before the birth of the baby predicted their subsequent sensitivity and negative behaviours (intrusive aggressive and withdrawn). There was a pathway from mothers’ RF to later infant attachment (both infant attachment security and infant attachment disorganization) through mothers’ negative behaviours. […] The findings that better mentalization is associated with maternal sensitivity is in line with the theory that there is an intergenerational pattern of transmission in which mothers’ RF, developed in the context of their own early attachment relationships, helps to make infant behaviour meaningful and underlies sensitivity. In addition, our findings suggest that better mentalization also helps mothers to screen their own negative intrusive, aggressive, and withdrawn responses that undermine the development of attachment security and organization. Mothers with higher RF may be better at filtering their own affects of aggression, anxiety, and fear, and screen their infants from negative behaviours, because they are more aware of their own affects and can see themselves from the outside and imagine the infants’ distress. Mentalization also implies an implicit understanding that affects become less intense with time and can be changed through thinking and seeing situations differently, and this may help mothers with higher RF tolerating difficult feelings.» (p. 14)