The Effect of Abuse on Maternal Parenting and Brain Activity

First study of brain activation in parental reflective function shows how childhood adversity affects future parenting. Neuroscience research looks at differences in underlying brain activity and parenting capacity.

“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” -Stevie Wonder

What Is Mentalizing and How Does It Relate to Parental Reflective Function?

Mentalization, popularized by Peter Fonagy and colleagues, helps us understand how infants develop the capacity to “mind-read”, accurately sensing others’ intentions and inner states. Mentalization draws upon attachment theory and psychoanalysis. It is key to understanding and treating disorganized attachment style, borderline personality disorder, complex PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), and related. Without mentalizing, “primitive” defenses like splitting, projection and denial dominate.