Maternal Reflective Functioning and Attachment Security in Girls and Boys: A Closer Look into the Middle Childhood

Danguolė Čekuolienė, Lina Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė, Izabelė Grauslienė, Asta Adler and Rasa Barkauskienė
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Danguolė Čekuolienė: Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto St.9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania
Lina Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė: Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto St.9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania
Izabelė Grauslienė: Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto St.9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania
Asta Adler: Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto St.9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania
Rasa Barkauskienė: Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, Universiteto St.9/1, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: Child attachment undergoes major changes during middle childhood. Maternal reflective functioning (RF) is hypothesized to be an important correlate of a child’s attachment security during this period; however, the child’s gender role in this association has not been examined yet. In the present study, we used 64 mother-child (6–11 years old) dyads from a community sample to analyze the association between maternal RF and child attachment security and whether this link is moderated by gender. Maternal RF was assessed on the Parent Development Interview Revised (PDI-R2) and child attachment classifications were examined by the Child Attachment Interview (CAI). Results revealed the positive and statistically significant association between maternal RF and child attachment security in the whole sample. Further evaluations of this link in the groups of girls and boys separately indicated its significance for girls only. Finally, moderation analysis demonstrated the relation between child attachment security and maternal RF to be moderated by gender. These findings provide a new knowledge on gender role in attachment security in relation to maternal RF as well as suggest possible differentiation in the correlates on the pathway of secure attachment between girls and boys during middle childhood.

Keywords: attachment security; maternal reflective functioning; middle childhood; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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