Caregiver Mentalizing and Child Emotional Regulation: A Novel Approach to Examining Bidirectional Impact

Abstract

ABSTRACTMentalization theory suggest bidirectional links between a caregiver’s capacity to mentalize their child and emotional regulation in their children. However, there has been little empirical investigation to verify this theory. The bidirectional relationship between caregiver mentalizing and child emotional regulation may be especially important to understand in caregiving contexts where there is greater risk of relationship breakdown or child emotional dysregulation, such as in fostering relationships. This study used a novel time-sequence analysis approach to explore the putative bidirectional relationship between caregiver mentalizing and child emotional regulation in the context of long-term foster care. Existing theories about caregiver mentalizing and child emotional regulation were evaluated and developed by looking at moment-by-moment interactions between a foster carer and a child in her care. The findings of this study gave mixed support for bidirectional relationships between foster carer mentalizing, and child emotional regulation predicted by existing theoretical models. These findings have implications for refining and applying mentalization theory broadly and more specifically in the context of foster care. Furthermore, this study provides a useful example of how time-sequence analysis may be useful for exploring the links between phenomena, such as caregiver mentalizing and child emotional dysregulation, occurring over time in observational data. AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank Ruth and Alex for their generous participation in this study. The data used in this study comes from the Relationship Stories study which was conceived and designed by Nick Midgley, Karen Irvine, Jamie Murdoch, Zena Louise Richards, Thando Katangwe-Chigamba and Eva Sprecher.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis study uses data collected from a project funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) [name of NIHR programme (127422 Midgley/Public Health Research]. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The Funder has no involvement in the design of the study or collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. This study is adapted from the first author’s PhD thesis.Notes on contributorsEva A. SprecherEva A. Sprecher, Ph.D., is a Research Fellow at UCL and the Anna Freud.Caroline CresswellCaroline Cresswell, Ph.D., is a Research Fellow at the University of Hertfordshire in the Clinical Trials Support Network.Asa Kerr-DavisAsa Kerr-Davis, M.Sc., is a PhD student at UCL and the Anna Freud and an assistant psychologist in Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.Michelle SleedMichelle Sleed, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow and research tutor at the Anna Freud and a research tutor at UCL.Nick MidgleyNick Midgley, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychological Therapies with Children and Young People at UCL, and Director of the Child Attachment and Psychological Therapies Research.