Maternal and child reflective functioning in the context of child sexual abuse: pathways to depression and externalising difficulties

Abstract

The findings indicate that by ages 7-12, child mentalization is an important inner resource associated with lower depression and externalising. In addition, this study provides new evidence of the importance of the parent's mentalizing stance for the development of self-regulation and externalising difficulties in both abused and non-abused children. The clinical implications are discussed.