Merete Glenne Øie1,2, Ingebjørg Emilie Aarnes1, Lise Horndalsveen Eilertsen1, Kerstin Söderström3, Eivind Ystrom4,5,6, Ulrika Håkansson3. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 2. Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway. 3. Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway. 4. PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 5. Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. 6. Pharmacoepidemiology & Drug Safety Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
AIMS: Mothers with substance use disorders (SUD) often show impairments in parental reflective functioning (PRF), which may have adverse effects on their capacity for sensitive caregiving. Parenting personality is also associated with caregiving. However, no studies have investigated how these individual factors may contribute to variance in PRF in mothers with SUD. In this study PRF and personality were assessed in 43 mothers with SUD. METHODS: PRF was assessed by the Parent Development Interview. Personality traits were assessed by the Revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory. RESULTS: The results indicate that higher levels of the Openness trait are associated with better PRF. CONCLUSION: Mothers low in Openness may need more specific and situational training in interpreting mental states in their children. Highly open mothers with SUD will likely need more help distinguishing the child's mental states from their own, and might need help to maintain mutuality and regulating the intensity of their responses to the child's behavior.
AIMS: Mothers with substance use disorders (SUD) often show impairments in parental reflective functioning (PRF), which may have adverse effects on their capacity for sensitive caregiving. Parenting personality is also associated with caregiving. However, no studies have investigated how these individual factors may contribute to variance in PRF in mothers with SUD. In this study PRF and personality were assessed in 43 mothers with SUD. METHODS: PRF was assessed by the Parent Development Interview. Personality traits were assessed by the Revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory. RESULTS: The results indicate that higher levels of the Openness trait are associated with better PRF. CONCLUSION: Mothers low in Openness may need more specific and situational training in interpreting mental states in their children. Highly open mothers with SUD will likely need more help distinguishing the child's mental states from their own, and might need help to maintain mutuality and regulating the intensity of their responses to the child's behavior.