The Parenting Quality in Mothers With Childhood Emotional Trauma From the Mentalization Perspective

Authors
Abstract
The present study aims to explore the impact of mentalization on the quality of parenting in mothers who experienced childhood emotional trauma. This qualitative, phenomenological research used semi-structured interviews for data collection, which were then analyzed using Collaizi's seven-step phenomenological method. The participants, selected through purposive sampling, consisted of 9 mothers of children aged 3-6 years who had experienced emotional trauma during childhood. The analysis yielded five main themes: the mother's mentalization capacity, her inner psychological state, the mother-child relationship, trauma transmission, and her parenting practices. The findings suggest that mothers with strong mentalization abilities tend to experience more positive mental states, establish secure relationships with their children, avoid repeating traumatic behaviors from their own parents, and demonstrate effective parenting. In contrast,mothers with deficits in mentalization showed more negative mental states, struggled to create security with their children, repeated traumatic behaviors, and exhibited poorer parenting practices.
Keywords

Aldao, A., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Schweizer, S. (2010). Emotion-regulation strategies across psychopathology: A meta-analytic review. Clinical psychology review, 30(2), 217-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.11.004
Álvarez, N., Lázaro, M. H., Gordo, L., Elejalde, L. I., & Pampliega, A. M. (2022). Maternal mentalization and child emotion regulation: A comparison of different phases of early childhood. Infant Behav Dev, 66, 101681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101681
Atar, S., Zareii Mahmoodabadi, H., & Sedrpooshan, N. (2024). Exploring the components of mindful parenting: A qualitative study. Research in Psychological Health, 18(1), 87–102. [Persian]
Ataran N, Mozafari M, Ghorban Jahromi R, Amini Manesh S. (2025). The efficacy of positive parenting training and parenting based on mentalization on improving the mother-child relationship. Journal of Psychological Science. 23(143), 59-78. [Persian] http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-2460-fa.html
Bateman, A. W., & Fonagy, P. (Eds.). (2019). Handbook of mentalizing in mental health practice. American Psychiatric Pub.
Bennett, C., Regan, D., Dunsmore, J. C., King, G., & Westrupp, E. M. (2023). Social and emotional determinants of parental reflective functioning in a multinational sample. J Fam Paychol, 37(6), 818. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001132
Bernstein, D. P., Stein, J. A., Newcomb, M. D., Walker, E., Pogge, D., Ahluvalia, T., ... & Zule, W. (2003). Development and validation of a brief screening version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Child abuse Negl, 27(2), 169-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00541-0
Berthelot, N., Lemieux, R., Garon-Bissonnette, J., Lacharité, C., & Muzik, M. (2019). The protective role of mentalizing: Reflective functioning as a mediator between child maltreatment, psychopathology and parental attitude in expecting parents. Child abuse & neglect, 95, 104065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104065
Child Abuse Negl, 128, 104940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.104940
Colaizzi, P. F. (1978). Existential phenomenological alternatives for psychology. Psychological Research as the Phenomenologist Views It/Oxford University Press. https://philpapers.org/rec/COLPRA-5
De Raeymaecker, K., & Dhar, M. (2022). The influence of parents on emotion regulation in middle childhood: A systematic review. Children, 9(8), 1200. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9081200
El-Khani, A., Ulph, F., Peters, S., & Calam, R. (2016). Syria: the challenges of parenting in refugee situations of immediate displacement. Intervention: Journal of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Conflict Affected Areas, 14(2), 99-113. https://doi.org/10.1097/WTF.0000000000000118
El-Khani, A., Ulph, F., Peters, S., & Calam, R. (2016). Syria: The challenges of parenting in refugee situations of immediate displacement. Intervention: Journal of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Conflict Affected Areas, 14(2), 99–113. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1097/WTF.0000000000000118
Ensink, K., Bégin, M., Normandin, L., & Fonagy, P. (2016). Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: Pathways to depression and externalising difficulties. European journal of psychotraumatology, 7(1), 30611. https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.30611
Ensink, K., Berthelot, N., Bernazzani, O., Normandin, L., & Fonagy, P. (2014). Another step closer to measuring the ghosts in the nursery: Preliminary validation of the Trauma Reflective Functioning Scale. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 1471. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01471
Fonagy, P. (2002). Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self. New York (Other Press) 2002. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429471643
Fonagy, P., Luyten, P., & Allison, E. (2015). Epistemic petrification and the restoration of epistemic trust: A new conceptualization of borderline personality disorder and its psychosocial treatment. Journal of personality disorders, 29(5), 575-609. https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi.2015.29.5.575
Fonagy, P., Steele, M., Steele, H., Moran, G. S., & Higgitt, A. C. (1991). The capacity for understanding mental states: The reflective self in parent and child and its significance for security of attachment, J child Fam Stud, 12(3), 201-218. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0355(199123)12:3<201::AID-IMHJ2280120307>3.0.CO;2-7
Frosch, C. A., Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J., & O’Banion, D. D. (2021). Parenting and child development: A relational health perspective. Lifestyle Med, 15(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/155982761984902
Garber, J., & Dodge, K. A. (Eds.). (1991). The development of emotion regulation and dysregulation. Cambridge University Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1017/CBO9780511663963
Garon-Bissonnette, J., Dubois-Comtois, K., St- Laurent, D., & Berthelot, N. (2023). A deeper look at the association between childhood maltreatment and reflective functioning. Attach Hum Dev, https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2023.2207558
http://jcp.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3797-fa.html
http://jcp.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3807-fa.html
http://jcp.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3905-fa.html
http://qjfr.ir/article-1-1680-en.html
http://rph.khu.ac.ir/article-1-4467-fa.html
Jackson, Y., McGuire, A., Tunno, A. M., & Makanui, P. K. (2019). A reasonably large review of operationalization in child maltreatment research: Assessment approaches and sources of information in youth samples. Child abuse Negl, 87, 5-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.09.016
Kapeleris, A. (2014). Children's socio-emotional development and adjustment: Role of maternal trauma, mentalization and parenting style. https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5195
Kelly, K., Slade, A., & Grienenberger, J. F. (2005). Maternal reflective functioning, mother–infant affective communication, and infant attachment: Exploring the link between mental states and observed caregiving behavior in the intergenerational transmission of attachment. Attach Hum Dev, 7(3), 299-311. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616730500245963
Khajevand, S., Bahreinian, A., Nasri, M., & Shahabizadeh, F. (2024). Comparing the effectiveness of treatment based on mentalization and treatment based on parent-child relationship on executive functions and anxiety symptoms of anxious children. Contempt Psychol, 12(1), 91–105. [Persian]
Li, D., Li, D., & Yang, K. (2020). Interparental conflict and Chinese emerging adults’ romantic relationship quality: Indirect pathways through attachment to parents and interpersonal security. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 37(2), 414-431. https://doi.org/10.1177/026540751986595
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, Inc . Locke, H. J., & Wallace, K. M. (1959). Short marital -adjustment and prediction tests: Their reliability and validity. Marriage and family living , 21(3), 251 -255. https://doi.org/10.2307/348022
Meraji Saeed P S, Hashemi Z, Fooladi F. The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Creativity: The Mediating Role of Executive Functions. CPJ 2024; 12 (2) :65-80. [Persian]
Nakhli, M., Ahmadi, S., & Asadpour, I. (2022). The effectiveness of mentalization-based therapy training on improving mother-child relationships and attachment levels in children. Family and Research Journal, 19(3), 45-62. [Persian]
Panahipour, H., Hoseininezhad, N., & Pourshahriari, M. (2022). Effectiveness of parent-child interaction therapy on reducing verbal and non-verbal violence of mothers and symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in preschool children.Research in Psychological Health, 16(1), 31–45. [Persian] http://rph.khu.ac.ir/article-1-3856-fa.html
Pikse, S, I., Sebra, S., & Lubenko, J. (2010). Child behavior and mother-child emotional availability in response to parent training program: moderators of outcome. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 1418-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.299
Richter, L. (2005). The Importance of Caregiver-Child Interactions for the Survival and Healthy Development of Young Children: A Review. Geneva, Switzerland: Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development. WHO https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/924159134X.
Riser, D. K. (2009). Parent trauma history and parenting style: relation to child trauma and child psychopathology (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Tech). http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32822
Riva Crugnola, C., Ierardi, E., & Canevini, M. P. (2018). Reflective functioning, maternal attachment, mind-mindedness, and emotional availability in adolescent and adult mothers at infant 3 months. Attach. Hum. Dev, 20(1), 84-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2017.137954
Salamat, M. K., Hajazi, M., Moravati, Z., & Izadpanah, S. (2019). Predicting children's behavioral problems based on maternal parenting styles: The mediating role of children's adjustment. Child Mental Health Quarterly, 6(3), 269-280. [Persian] http://childmentalhealth.ir/article-1-864-fa.html
San Cristobal, P., Santelices, M. P., & Miranda Fuenzalida, D. A. (2017). Manifestation of trauma: The effect of early traumatic experiences and adult attachment on parental reflective functioning. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 449. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00449
Schultheis, A. M., Mayes, L. C., & Rutherford, H. J. (2019). Associations between emotion regulation and parental reflective functioning. J child Fam stud, 28(4), 1094-1104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-01326-z
Shabani, G., & Ne'mat-Tavasi, M. (2021). The mediating role of maternal caregiving quality in the relationship between maternal self-esteem and children's emotional and behavioral disorders. Scientific Journal of Royesh Psychology, 10(5), 45-56. [Persian] http://frooyesh.ir/article-1-2593-fa.html
Sharei, A., Kasaeei Esfahani, A., & Salmani, A. (2025). The Effect of Mindfulness Therapy on Emotion Regulation, Cognitive Self-Awareness, and Tendency to High-Risk Behaviors in Orphaned and Poorly Monitored Adolescents: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 23(9), 812-827.
Sharp, C., Barr, C., Vanwoerden, S., & Long, T. (2019). Hypermentalizing: The development and validation of a self-report measure.Submitted. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20210018
Shokri, M., Rahmani, M. A., & Abolghasemi, S. (2021). The impact of emotion-focused couples therapy on forgiveness, emotional self-regulation, and marital burnout in couples seeking divorce at family social emergency services. Islamic Lifestyle Journal on Health, 5(1), 86-96. [Persian] https://www.sid.ir/paper/414069/fa
Siverns, K., & Morgan, G. (2019). Parenting in the context of historical childhood trauma: An interpretive meta-synthesis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 98, 104186.
Slade, A. (2005). Parental reflective functioning: An introduction. Attachment & human development, 7(3), 269-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616730500245906
Suchman, N. E., DeCoste, C., Castiglioni, N., McMahon, T. J., Rounsaville, B., & Mayes, L. (2010). The Mothers and Toddlers Program, an attachment-based parenting intervention for substance using women: Post-treatment results from a randomized clinical pilot. Attach Hum Dev., 12(5), 483-504. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2010.501983
Taghizadeh, Q., Ahmadvand, K., & Ahmadi, Z. (2021). The role of family in the development and formation of identity in children. Philosophy and Children Journal, 6(2), 45-56. [Persian] https://rimag.ricest.ac.ir/fa/Article/31797
Teymori, M., Shaeeri, M., & Farahni, H. (2024). Investigating the mediating role of mindful parenting in the relationship between maternal depression and child internalizing and externalizing cognitive-emotional problems. Cogn psychol, 12(3), 72–88. [Persian]
Toth, S. L., & Manly, J. T. (2019). Developmental consequences of child abuse and neglect: Implications for intervention, Child Dev Perspect, 13(1), 59-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12317
Wang, X. (2022). Intergenerational effects of childhood maltreatment: The roles of parents’ emotion regulation and mentalization.
Wang, X. (2022). Intergenerational effects of childhood maltreatment: The roles of parents’ emotion regulation and mentalization. Child Abuse Negl, 128, 104940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.104940
Yarar, E. Z., Bulut, B. P., & Demirbaş, H. (2023). Does gender really matter: childhood trauma, trait anger, and suicide risk in early adulthood. J Interpers Violence, 38(1-2), 1222-1238. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605221087704