Holding dysregulation in mind: How maternal mind-mindedness relates to regulatory symptoms and disorders in infancy

Abstract

This study examined the role of maternal mind-mindedness (MM) – the tendency to ascribe mental states to one's child – in infant regulatory symptoms and disorders and the moderating role of parenting stress and global psychological distress. A better understanding of these relationships may inform prevention and intervention programs. The interactional MM measure (appropriate and positive mind-related comments) was applied in a clinical group with regulatory disorders (ClinGrp; N = 124) and a healthy comparison group (CompGrp; N = 31) with mothers and their infants aged 4 to 15 months in Germany. Group differences between the ClinGrp and the CompGrp were calculated. Positive MM was higher in the CompGrp than in the ClinGrp. Appropriate and positive MM were negatively related to infant regulatory symptoms. Psychological distress was negatively linked to appropriate and positive MM. Parenting stress and psychological distress did not moderate the relationship between appropriate MM and regulatory symptoms. Lower-quality MM characterizes parent–infant interactions in the context of regulatory symptoms and disorders. Implications for future research on the valence of mind-minded comments, longitudinal studies on the protective role of MM, possible child effects, and clinical implications are discussed.