Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood
IntroductionThis study aimed to clarify the role of mentalizing in pathways from attachment to Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) in survivors of childhood maltreatment (CM). We focused on the transition to parenting, a critical period for reworking parenting representations to reduce intergenera...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.919736/full |
| _version_ | 1797808310884237312 |
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| author | Karin Ensink Michaël Bégin Gabriel Martin-Gagnon Marko Biberdzic Nicolas Berthelot Lina Normandin Peter Fonagy Odette Bernazzani Jessica L. Borelli |
| author_facet | Karin Ensink Michaël Bégin Gabriel Martin-Gagnon Marko Biberdzic Nicolas Berthelot Lina Normandin Peter Fonagy Odette Bernazzani Jessica L. Borelli |
| author_sort | Karin Ensink |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThis study aimed to clarify the role of mentalizing in pathways from attachment to Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) in survivors of childhood maltreatment (CM). We focused on the transition to parenting, a critical period for reworking parenting representations to reduce intergenerational maltreatment cycles.MethodStudy participants included 100 pregnant CM survivors. We assessed PTSS with the SCID and attachment and mentalizing with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), which was rated for Attachment and Reflective Functioning (RF).ResultsRegarding Re-experiencing trauma symptoms, the results of the path analysis were consistent with mediation. CM survivors' mentalizing about their early relationships with their parents (RF-Other) directly impacted Re-experiencing trauma symptoms, and attachment had an effect on Re-experiencing trauma symptoms through mentalizing (RF-Other). Regarding Arousal/Reactivity symptoms, the results of the pathways analysis were consistent with partial mediation by mentalizing about early relationships with parents (RF-Other). In addition to the pathway from attachment via mentalizing (RF-Other) to Arousal/Reactivity, the pathway between attachment and Arousal/Reactivity also remained significant.DiscussionThis study provides new evidence of a mentalizing and attachment model of PTSS in CM survivors. The findings indicate that increased mentalizing about early relationships with parents is an important process associated with lower PTSS. Finally, we discuss the implications of developing interventions for CM survivors to reduce PTSS. Scaffolding the development of mentalizing regarding attachment relationships in which CM occurred may help CM survivors reduce the intrusion of traumatic memories and decrease trauma-related arousal and reactivity symptoms. Interventions to help CM survivors mentalize regarding parents and attachment relationships in which trauma occurred may be particularly important during the transition to parenting when activation of representations of parenting can trigger PTSS. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:35:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0823488cb6dd4248b82dfb89145b0259 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T06:35:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0823488cb6dd4248b82dfb89145b02592023-06-09T05:12:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-06-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.919736919736Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthoodKarin Ensink0Michaël Bégin1Gabriel Martin-Gagnon2Marko Biberdzic3Nicolas Berthelot4Lina Normandin5Peter Fonagy6Odette Bernazzani7Jessica L. Borelli8École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, CanadaDépartement de Psychologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, QC, CanadaÉcole de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Nursing, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, QC, CanadaÉcole de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, CanadaDivision of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Québec, QC, CanadaDepartment of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United StatesIntroductionThis study aimed to clarify the role of mentalizing in pathways from attachment to Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) in survivors of childhood maltreatment (CM). We focused on the transition to parenting, a critical period for reworking parenting representations to reduce intergenerational maltreatment cycles.MethodStudy participants included 100 pregnant CM survivors. We assessed PTSS with the SCID and attachment and mentalizing with the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), which was rated for Attachment and Reflective Functioning (RF).ResultsRegarding Re-experiencing trauma symptoms, the results of the path analysis were consistent with mediation. CM survivors' mentalizing about their early relationships with their parents (RF-Other) directly impacted Re-experiencing trauma symptoms, and attachment had an effect on Re-experiencing trauma symptoms through mentalizing (RF-Other). Regarding Arousal/Reactivity symptoms, the results of the pathways analysis were consistent with partial mediation by mentalizing about early relationships with parents (RF-Other). In addition to the pathway from attachment via mentalizing (RF-Other) to Arousal/Reactivity, the pathway between attachment and Arousal/Reactivity also remained significant.DiscussionThis study provides new evidence of a mentalizing and attachment model of PTSS in CM survivors. The findings indicate that increased mentalizing about early relationships with parents is an important process associated with lower PTSS. Finally, we discuss the implications of developing interventions for CM survivors to reduce PTSS. Scaffolding the development of mentalizing regarding attachment relationships in which CM occurred may help CM survivors reduce the intrusion of traumatic memories and decrease trauma-related arousal and reactivity symptoms. Interventions to help CM survivors mentalize regarding parents and attachment relationships in which trauma occurred may be particularly important during the transition to parenting when activation of representations of parenting can trigger PTSS.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.919736/fullattachmentmentalizingRFtraumapregnancyPTSS/PTSD |
| spellingShingle | Karin Ensink Michaël Bégin Gabriel Martin-Gagnon Marko Biberdzic Nicolas Berthelot Lina Normandin Peter Fonagy Odette Bernazzani Jessica L. Borelli Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood Frontiers in Psychology attachment mentalizing RF trauma pregnancy PTSS/PTSD |
| title | Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| title_full | Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| title_fullStr | Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| title_short | Post-traumatic-stress in the context of childhood maltreatment: pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| title_sort | post traumatic stress in the context of childhood maltreatment pathways from attachment through mentalizing during the transition to parenthood |
| topic | attachment mentalizing RF trauma pregnancy PTSS/PTSD |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.919736/full |
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