Explaining the relation between early mind-mindedness and children’s mentalizing abilities: The development of an observational preschool assessment.

• DOI: 10.1037/dev0001272
• Publication Date: 2021-12-20T16:53:09Z
• Authors: Sarah Fishburn; Elizabeth Meins; Charles Fernyhough; Luna C. M. Centif...; Fionnuala Larkin
• Keywords: Mentalization; PsycINFO; Child Development

The aim of this research was to develop a new observation-based measure for assessing caregivers' mind-mindedness in the preschool years and investigate whether could explain link between mothers' early appropriate mind-related comments children's later mentalizing abilities. developed using sample mothers 44-month-olds (N = 171), characterizing terms (a) solicited child involvement, (b) adaptive communication, (c) internal state talk. These indices were positively related established assessments at 8, 44, 61 months. Positive associations also observed with did not, however, mediate relation first year life (PsycInfo Database Record 2022 APA, all rights reserved).