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Explaining the relation between early mind-mindedness and children’s mentalizing abilities: The development of an observational preschool assessment

Fishburn, S.; Meins, E.; Fernyhough, C.; Centifanti, L.C.M.; Larkin, F.

Explaining the relation between early mind-mindedness and children’s mentalizing abilities: The development of an observational preschool assessment Thumbnail


Authors

S. Fishburn

E. Meins

L.C.M. Centifanti

F. Larkin



Abstract

The aim of this research was to develop a new observation-based measure for assessing caregivers’ mind-mindedness in the preschool years and investigate whether this measure could explain the link between mothers’ early appropriate mind-related comments and children’s later mentalizing abilities. The new measure was developed using a sample of mothers and 44-month-olds (N=171), characterizing mind-mindedness in terms of (a) solicited child involvement, (b) adaptive communication, and (c) internal state talk. These indices were positively related to established assessments of mind-mindedness at 8, 44, and 61 months. Positive associations were also observed with children’s later mentalizing abilities. The new measure of mind-mindedness did not, however, mediate the relation between mind-mindedness in the first year of life and children’s mentalizing abilities.

Citation

Fishburn, S., Meins, E., Fernyhough, C., Centifanti, L., & Larkin, F. (2022). Explaining the relation between early mind-mindedness and children’s mentalizing abilities: The development of an observational preschool assessment. Developmental Psychology, 58(1), 17-31. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001272

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 10, 2021
Publication Date 2022-01
Deposit Date Sep 10, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Developmental Psychology
Print ISSN 0012-1649
Electronic ISSN 1939-0599
Publisher American Psychological Association
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 58
Issue 1
Pages 17-31
DOI https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001272
Publisher URL https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/dev0001272

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Copyright Statement
Figure 1 © American Psychological Association, 2021. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. Please do not copy or cite without author's permission. The final article is available, upon publication, at: https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/dev0001272



Accepted Journal Article (Figure 2) (28 Kb)
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