Citation

Schechter DS, Coates SW, Kaminer T, Coots T, Zeanah CH, Davies M, Schonfeld IS, Marshall RD, Liebowitz MR, Trabka KA, McCaw JE, Myers MM. J. Trauma Dissociation 2008; 9(2): 123-147.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15299730802045666

PMID

18985165

PMCID

PMC2577290

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether maternal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), reflective functioning (RF), and/or quality of mental representations of her child predict maternal behavior within a referred sample of interpersonal violence-exposed mothers and their children (ages 8-50 months). METHOD: Forty-one dyads completed two videotaped visits including measures of maternal mental representations and behavior. RESULTS: Negative and distorted maternal mental representations predicted atypical behavior (Cohen's d>1.0). While maternal PTSD and RF impacted mental representations, no significant relationships were found between PTSD, RF, and overall atypical caregiving behavior. Severity of maternal PTSD was however positively correlated with the avoidant caregiving behavior subscale. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal mental representations of her child are useful risk-indicators that mark dysregulation of trauma-associated emotions in the caregiver.

Language: en