An analysis of the parental reflective function, the quality of triadic interaction and its influence on early childhood development

Thesis to opt to the degree of doctor in psychotherapyThe prevalence of social-emotional problems in early childhood continues at a high level (Centro de Microdatos-Universidad de Chile, 2014). This stage is a critical period in which the immediate family is the most influential system in childhood development (Bronfenbrenner, 1987). Conversely, the parental reflective function (RF) is considered a protective factor in early parenting (Stacks et al., 2014), assuming a relevant role in socialemotional development in early childhood (Ensink, Bégin, Normandin, & Fonagy, 2016; Smaling, Huijbregts, van der Heijden, van Goozen, & Swaab, 2016a). Objective: To describe and analyze the relationship between fathers’ and mothers’ RFs, the quality of the mother-father-child triadic interaction, and children’s psychomotor development and social-emotional difficulties. Method: A non-experimental, transversal and correlational study was developed. Fifty mother-father-child triads, each in a current relationship that included at least one child from 12–36 months of age, were evaluated. Sociodemographic background, triadic interaction (LTP, Fivaz-Depeursingue & Corboz-Warnery, 1999), parental RF (PDI-S, Slade, Aber, Berger, Bresgi, & Kaplan, 2012, assessed by RF Scales, Fonagy, Steele, Steele, & Target, 1998), psychomotor development (ASQ-3, Squires & Bricker, 2009) and social-emotional difficulties (ASQ SE, Squires, Bricker, & Twombly, 2002) were measured. Couple relationship satisfaction (RAS, Hendrick, 1988) and depressive symptoms in the parents (BDI-I, Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock & Erbaugh, 1961) were included as control variables. Results: A significant effect of the triadic interaction on the child’s social-emotional difficulties was found. The effect explained 20% of the variance. However, this effect was not found in the psychomotor development. In addition, the mothers’ RF had a significant influence on the triadic interaction, explaining 21% of the variance. However, in contrast to the hypothesis, the mothers’ and fathers’ RFs were not significant variables as direct or indirect predictors to explain the child’s socio-emotional difficulties or psychomotor development. These findings show the importance of the RF on the quality of the mother-fatherchild interaction, which in turn influences the child’s social-emotional development. Additionally, the role of the father and the implications of these findings for research and clinical purposes are discussed