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During adolescence, a secure parent–adolescent relationship promotes youths’ adjustment and psychological well-being. In this scenario, several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the CONNECT program, a 10-session, attachment-based parenting intervention that helps parents understand and reframe their parent–adolescent interactions, reducing adolescents’ insecure attachment and behavioral problems. Furthermore, recent years have witnessed a significant increase in the implementation of effective online versions of psychological interventions, emphasizing the opportunity for more agile and easier dissemination of evidence-based protocols. Therefore, this study aims to identify changes in adolescents’ attachment insecurity, behavioral problems, and parent–child affect regulation strategies, providing preliminary findings on an online, 10-session, attachment-based parenting intervention (eCONNECT). A total of 24 parents (20 mothers, 4 fathers; Mage = 49.33, SD = 5.32) of adolescents (Mage = 13.83 years, SD = 1.76, 45.8% girls) were assessed on their adolescents’ attachment insecurity (avoidance and anxiety) and behavioral problems (externalizing and internalizing), and on their affect regulation strategies in the parent–child interaction (adaptive reflection, suppression, and affect dysregulation) at three time points: before intervention (t0), after intervention (t1), and at a 2-month follow-up (t2). Mixed-effects regression models highlighted a reduction in adolescents’ internalizing problems (d = 0.11), externalizing problems (d = 0.29), and attachment avoidance (d = 0.26) after the intervention. Moreover, the reduction in externalizing problems and attachment avoidance remained stable at follow-up. Additionally, our findings highlighted a reduction in parent–child affect dysregulation. Results add preliminary evidence on the implementation suitability of an online attachment-based parenting intervention to change at-risk adolescents’ developmental trajectories by reducing attachment insecurity, behavioral problems, and parent–child affect regulation.

Introduction: Identifying longitudinal trajectories of emerging personality (EP) is crucial to highlight developmental patterns that might foster personality pathology in adolescence and early adulthood. Research on the exacerbation of personality pathology in adolescence identifies the significant contribution of internalizing and externalizing problems and suggests the importance of considering aspects such as mentalization, while accounting for gender differences. Methods: In our study, we adopted a mixed-model approach to (1) explore longitudinally EP (Adolescent Personality Structure Questionnaire; APS-Q) over 12 months in a sample of adolescents (N = 178, 62% females, mAGE = 15.04, SD = 1.27), accounting for gender effects. Moreover, (2) we assessed the longitudinal effect of internalizing and externalizing problems (Youth Self-Report; YSR-112) on EP. Finally, (3) we addressed the moderating role of mentalization (Movie Assessment for Social Cognition; MASC) in this developmental pathway. Results: Results highlighted a two-way pattern of EP. No changes were found in the level of difficulties in Self-acceptance, Investments and Goals, and Relationships with family dimensions. However, significant changes were found in personality functioning in the dimensions of Sense of Self, Aggression, and Relationships with friends. More, changes in difficulties in Sexuality emerged only in females. Also, gender differences emerged in the level of severity of EP. In addition, Internalizing and Externalizing problems differentially predicted difficulties in personality dimensions. Finally, mentalizing features moderated the relationship between Internalizing problems and Sense of Self and Internalizing problems and Self-acceptance, respectively. Conclusions: Our contribution aligns with recent developmental models of personality pathology, suggesting that different personality dimensions develop at different paces. More, it highlights the predictive power of externalizing and internalizing problems on difficulties in personality dimensions. Finally, it advances the discussion on the contribution of mentalizing abilities to EP.

Research question: What are the psychological implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for father–child bonding and mental health among Italian gay fathers pursuing surrogacy in the USA or Canada? Design: Between 20 March and 29 July 2020, this cross-sectional case–control study collected data on father–child bonding quality, depression, anxiety and somatization in 30 Italian gay fathers (n=15 families) who were having or successfully had a child through cross-border surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. These fathers were compared with a sociodemographically similar group of 50 Italian gay fathers (n=25 families) who had children through cross-border surrogacy prior to the pandemic. Results: Although father–child bonding quality and the mental health symptoms of fathers scored below the clinical cut-off points in both groups, fathers who had or were having a child during the COVID-19 pandemic reported poorer father–child bonding (estimate 3.04, SE 1.47, P=0.044) and more depressive (estimate –1.47, SE 0.49, P=0.005), anxious (estimate –1.96, SE 0.55, PPConclusions: The findings call for the development of international guidelines for cross-border surrogacy and underline the need for tailored and ongoing psychological and legal support for intended gay fathers to ease their strain and anxiety related to having a child through cross-border surrogacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction Secure attachment in adolescence, related to caregiving quality, is a robust predictor of positive behavioral adjustment in early adulthood and beyond. Nevertheless, few attempts have been made to develop treatments to promote parent–adolescent attachment security. Methods Using a longitudinal, multicenter, randomized controlled trial design, two questionnaire-based studies were run in Italy (Study 1: n = 100 mothers of adolescents, 60% boys, Mage = 14.89, SD = 1.58; Study 2: n = 40 mothers and 40 adolescents, 60% boys, Mage = 14.90, SD = 1.91) to test the effectiveness of an attachment-based parenting intervention (i.e., Connect) in reducing adolescents’ behavioral problems and attachment insecurity 2 weeks post-intervention (t2) and at a 4-month follow-up (t3). It was further investigated whether a decrease in avoidant and anxious attachment at t2 would account for changes in externalizing and internalizing problems, respectively, at t3. All adolescents belonged to two-parent intact families. Results Mothers who completed Connect reported significantly fewer adolescent behavioral problems and lower adolescent attachment insecurity, compared to mothers in the waitlist group, at both t2 and t3 (Study 1). These findings were confirmed in a second subsample (Study 2), considering both mothers' and adolescents’ reports. Controlling for pre-intervention behavioral problems, reductions in internalizing and externalizing problems were observed in both studies at t3 via a decrease in anxious and avoidant attachment, respectively, at t2. Conclusions The findings point to the malleability of attachment security in adolescence and highlight the importance of targeting parenting quality to promote adolescent behavioral adjustment.

Thirty-one children of gay single fathers and 28 children of heterosexual single fathers, all born through surrogacy, were compared with 31 children of gay partnered fathers through surrogacy and 30 children of heterosexual partnered fathers through in-vitro fertilization on their perceptions of self-worth and their father- and caregiver-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors. For children of single fathers, the study also examined associations between aspects related to their surrogacy conception, feelings about their family arrangement, and behavioral adjustment. All children (47.5% girls) were aged 6-12 years (Mmonths = 97.84, SD = 20.50) and living in Italy; all fathers (Myears = 43.79; SD = 6.42) identified as cisgender, reported a medium-to-high socioeconomic status, and were White (with the exception of one gay partnered father). No differences were found across the four family groups in any behavioral outcome, with children demonstrating, on average, high levels of self-worth and low levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. In single-father families, regardless of the father's sexual orientation, children with a weaker understanding of surrogacy, lower satisfaction with their contact with the gestational carrier, and lower comfort with their family arrangement were associated with more externalizing problems. Furthermore, children's female gender and lower satisfaction with their contact with the gestational carrier were associated with more internalizing problems, whereas children's male gender and greater understanding of surrogacy were associated with higher self-worth. Taken together, these findings do not support the commonly held assumption that the combination of surrogacy conception and single fatherhood is detrimental for children's behavioral adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Adolescents' challenges could be effectively addressed by treating their parents. Prior evaluations of CONNECT, an attachment-based program intervention for parents of adolescents at risk, indicated that improving parenting skills and the quality of parent-adolescent relationship may result in decrease of adolescents' behavioural problems. The present study is part of a longitudinal research involving three Italian centres (Pavia, Milan, Pisa) aimed at investigating whether helping parents reduce their reliance on coercive or unproductive parenting strategies and understand changes occurring during adolescence from an attachment-based perspective would reduce their adolescents' externalizing and internalizing symptoms. One-hundred and eighteen parents of adolescents (Mage = 15.26 years, SD = 1.49; 64% boys), randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 66) or to the wait-list control group (n = 52), reported on their perceptions of their adolescents' externalizing and internalizing symptoms (using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire-parent version; Goodman, 1997), as well as attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety (using the Adolescent Attachment Anxiety & Avoidance Inventory; Moretti and Obsuth, 2009) prior to treatment (t0), within a two-week period following the final treatment session (t1) and at a four months follow-up (t2). Parents attending the CONNECT program reported significant reductions in their adolescents' externalizing symptoms, and slightly significant reductions in their adolescents' internalizing symptoms by a reduction of anxiety and avoidance attachment strategies. The findings add evidence to the importance of investigating mechanisms of change underlying the effectiveness of CONNECT program, providing further indications on its application in therapeutic contexts.

La teoria dell'attaccamento ha contribuito in modo importante al diffondersi di una serie di interventi rivolti alla diade genitore-bambino, la cui efficacia è stata dimostrata su base sperimentale, grazie ai rigorosi strumenti metodologici di cui dispone. Si tratta di programmi di intervento volti a sostenere lo sviluppo positivo della diade e in particolare a promuovere relazioni di attaccamento sicure e a ridurre il rischio di problematiche di tipo esternalizzante nei bambini. In questo contributo intendiamo proporre una rassegna ragionata dei principali interventi di video-feedback, orientati all'attaccamento e finalizzati oltre che al sostegno e alla promozione delle competenze genitoriali, anche al trattamento delle difficoltà emotive e comportamentali del bambino e dell'adolescente, definendone le caratteristiche principali e i contesti di applicazione. Data la centralità in questi programmi dell'uso del video, intendiamo anche delinearne l'evoluzione storica e il suo valore come tecnica specifica nel lavoro clinico in età evolutiva. Da ultimo verranno riassunti quelli che a nostro parere rappresentano gli ingredienti fondamentali delle procedure di video-feedback, evidenziandone operativamente alcune possibili linee di utilizzo strategico in coerenza con la prospettiva clinica cognitivocostruttivista. Nel far ciò verrà posta particolare attenzione al costrutto di disciplina sensibile (sensitive discipline), importante soprattutto lavorando con i disturbi esternalizzanti o in un'ottica di prevenzione.

Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments o attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) are employed by single individuals and couples who are not otherwise able to conceive spontaneously. While the use of ARTs is increasing, research is lacking on the attempts made by adolescent offspring conceived via ARTs to integrate their ART conception into their identity and negotiate a connection with, and autonomy from, their parents. The present article reviews studies investigating adolescent development and the parent–adolescent relationship in diverse family forms created by ARTs (mainly heterosexual and lesbian parent families), and discusses the results in light of attachment, identity development, and emotional distance regulation theories. Overall, the results indicate that the psychological adjustment of adolescents conceived via ARTs is not undermined by the manner of their conception, and that they enjoy positive relationships with their parents with no difference from those enjoyed by spontaneously conceived adolescents. However, it remains unknown whether the development of a reproductive identity in adolescence is likely to influence adolescents’ interest in searching for or contacting their donors, surrogates, and/or donor siblings. The results suggest the relevance of considering the parent–adolescent relationship, disclosure, and identity formation issues when planning psychological counseling and support interventions with ART parents and their adolescent offspring, and emphasize the need to further investigate these aspects in diverse ART families, including single-, gay-, bisexual-, and trans*-parent families.

Background Maternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a risk condition for quality of parenting and child development. The current literature highlights the need to identify interventions that effectively enhance the quality of parenting and to better understand which mechanisms are involved in the process of change. The present study protocol describes a randomized wait-list controlled trial that aims to examine (1) the efficacy of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in improving the quality of parenting (i.e., sensitive parenting and sensitive discipline) in mothers with SUD, (2) whether the intervention affects parental cognitive mechanisms (i.e., attentional disengagement to infant negative emotions, inhibitory control confronted with children’s affective expression, and parental reflective functioning), and (3) whether changes in these processes act as mechanisms of change, mediating the effect of the VIPP-SD program on quality of parenting. Moreover, the study aims (4) to explore whether the VIPP-SD has an effect on parenting stress and (5) to compare mothers with SUD to low-risk mothers on the outcome measures. Methods The study will involve 40 mothers with SUD and 20 low-risk mothers of children aged between 14 months and 6 years old. Mothers in the SUD group will be randomly divided into two groups, one receiving the intervention (SUD experimental group) and one undergoing treatment as usual (SUD control group). All the mothers will be assessed pre-test and post-test. Quality of parenting will be assessed through observed parenting behaviors, whereas parental cognitive mechanisms will be assessed through neuropsychological tasks and self-report measures. Discussion The results of the study will reveal whether an intervention that has been proven effective in other at-risk samples is also effective in improving parenting behaviors in the context of SUD. The results will also provide insight into potential cognitive mechanisms involved in the process of change. Trial registration ISRCTN registry ISRCTN63070968. Registered on 25 June 2021. Retrospectively registered

La educación positiva implica una disciplina sensible y se define como un comportamiento de los padres basado en el interés superior del niño que ofrece una guía y orientación, involucrando el establecimiento de límites para permitir el pleno desarrollo del niño. La educación positiva se centra en el fortalecimiento y el empoderamiento de los padres y las familias mediante la mejora de la ecología de la educación y la promoción de las competencias de los padres. Los padres necesitan apoyo informal y formal para realizar sus tareas de educación, especialmente aquellos que viven en circunstancias adversas. El documento presenta un escaparate de pautas psicológicas para la promoción de un marco de colaboración en el contexto de la asociación investigación / familias / servicios. Se describe cómo la implementación de programas de educación basados en la evidencia entregados a través de las visitas domiciliarias podría ayudar a los padres en su función de educación. Además, se ilustra uno de los programas actuales más efectivos para padres, denominado Intervención de retroalimentación con video para promover la paternidad positiva y la disciplina sensible (VIPP-SD) como un ejemplo de una manera fructífera para mantener el bienestar del niño y la familia a través de intervenciones de educación fiables. Posteriormente se discute para quién y bajo qué circunstancias este tipo de programa educativo ha demostrado ser eficaz y cuáles son los principales resultados de investigación obtenidos. Una observación concluyente subraya los beneficios a largo plazo de abordar las fortalezas y recursos de los padres, en lugar de los problemas y las dificultades, para lograr resultados más prolongados en el mantenimiento de la función y las tareas de los padres.

In a randomized controlled trial with 25 Colombian rural low-SES mothers and their children (aged 1-3 years), the effectiveness of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in enhancing maternal sensitivity and food habits was tested pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a 6-month follow-up. The study further verified whether maternal sensitivity represented a mechanism of change for food habits. Mixed models indicated that the VIPP-SD did promote higher maternal sensitivity and better food habits. Moreover, increased maternal sensitivity following the VIPP-SD predicted improved maternal food habits, both post-intervention and at the follow-up. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at preventing early inadequate parental food habits in low-SES communities should promote sensitive parenting during daily mother-child interactions, in addition to offering nutritional advice.

The present study represents the first empirical investigation of the mechanisms - a Hostile-Helpless (HH) attachment and reflective functioning (RF) - through which childhood abuse and neglect (CAN) experiences may impact a mother's likelihood to commit filicide. The sample was comprised of 46 mentally ill mothers. Differences in attachment-derived risk variables between filicidal mothers (FM) and non-filicidal mothers (NFM) were also examined. FM (

The present study examined father-–child relationships, parenting quality, and child psychological adjustment in 35 gay single father surrogacy families, 30 heterosexual single father surrogacy families, 45 gay two-father surrogacy families, and 45 heterosexual two-parent IVF families, when children were aged 3–10 years. In each family, fathers were administered standardized questionnaires and interviews, and participated in three video-recorded observational tasks with their child. Teachers and a child psychiatrist further rated child adjustment. The only differences across family types indicated greater parenting stress in gay and heterosexual single fathers. Irrespective of family type, lower sensitivity and supportive parenting predicted greater father-reported child internalizing problems; whereas lower rough-and-tumble play quality and sensitivity, greater negative parenting and parenting stress, and the child male gender predicted greater father-reported child externalizing problems. In teachers’ ratings, the child female gender was associated with greater child internalizing problems, whereas greater negative parenting, lower rough-and tumble play quality, and the child male gender were associated with greater child externalizing problems. The results confirm that the adjustment of children born to gay and heterosexual single fathers through surrogacy is more a function of family processes than family structure. The results enable practitioners to develop an informed view of the influence of assisted reproduction on the adjustment of children born to single fathers through surrogacy. In this vein, it is empirically unfounded for policymakers to consider children born to single fathers through surrogacy at risk of developing psychological problems, as well as to continue to ban single men from accessing fertility treatments.

To date, few studies have investigated the social-emotional functioning of planned lesbian families, wherein only one parent is the biological mother of the child. We examined if being a biological versus non-biological mother plays a role in planned lesbian couple functioning and mother-infant play interactions. The present study analyzes the attachment state of mind, couple alliance, parenting stress, and emotional availability in a sample of 40 mothers (20 biological and 20 non-biological). The results showed that mothers' life-long attachment experiences and related mental states of mind, rather than biological relatedness between the parent and child, matter in a mother and child's emotional involvement in parent-child interaction. Furthermore, the results confirmed the different impact of the perceived quality of the couple alliance on biological and non-biological mothers. The findings obtained elucidated what counts in this new family typology, and constitute a heuristic solicitation for future studies to better understand the key factors and mechanisms implied in social-emotional functioning.

Resumen La presente descripcion analiza el proceso de video grabaciones y retroalimentacion para cuidadores que ayudan a mejorar la sensibilidad de los padres, frente a las senales de los hijos, denominada Video Interventions to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) (Juffer et. al 1998). Se revisan metodologicamente trabajos anteriores que han evaluado la efectividad de la intervencion en diferentes poblaciones y contextos. Se concluye que el mejoramiento de las practicas que combinan la investigacion y la clinica, en apoyo a la familia, ha sido efectiva a traves de acciones especificas mediante el desarrollo de habilidades en regulacion emocional y habilidades de interaccion social. Palabras clave: video-feedback, sensibilidad materna, crianza, infancia. Abstract The present description is a reflection derived of the research, this analyzes the process of video recordings and feedback for caregivers what helps to improve the sensitivity of the parents, in front of the signals of the children, denominated VIPP-SD by its acronym in English (Video interventions to promote positive parenting and sensitive discipline. Previews works that have considered the effectivity of this intervention in different populations and contexts are reviewed methodologically. It concludes that the contribution of the improvement of the practices that combine research and clinical support to the family has been effective through specific actions, in the relation to the child care, through the development of skills in emotional regulation and social interaction. Keywords: video-feedback, maternal sensitivity, parenting, childhood Resumo A presente descricao e uma reflexao derivada da pesquisa, este processo de gravacoes de video e feedback para cuidadores o que ajuda a melhorar a sensibilidade dos pais, diante dos sinais das criancas, denominado VIPP-SD por sua sigla em ingles (Video interventions to promote positive parenting and sensitive discipline). Estudos anteriores que avaliaram a eficacia da intervencao em diferentes populacoes e contextos sao revisados metodologicamente. e o apoio clinico a familia tem sido eficaz atraves de acoes especificas, na relacao com a assistencia a infância, atraves do desenvolvimento de habilidades em regulacao emocional e interacao social. Keywords: video-feedback, maternal sensitivity, parenting

Borderline Personality (BPD) and Bipolar (BP) disorders stimulate an academic debate between their distinction and the inclusion of Borderline in the Bipolar spectrum. Opponents to this inclusion attribute the important differences and possible diagnostic incomprehension to overlapping symptoms. We tested 248 Borderline and 113 Bipolar patients, consecutively admitted to the Psychiatric Unit, through DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders (SCID-I/II), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Borderline Personality Disorder Severity Index-IV (BPDSI-IV). All the tests statistically discriminated the disorders (p < 0.0001). Overlapping symptoms resulted significantly different (impulsivity = 5.32 in BPD vs 1.55 in BP, p < 0.0001; emotional instability = 7.11 in BPD vs 0.55 in BP, p < 0.0001) and the range of their scores gives the opportunity for an even more precise discrimination. Distinctive traits (e.g. irritability or sexual arousal) are also discussed in order to try to qualify the core of these disorders to a higher degree. Comorbidity proves to be extremely small (3.6%). However, Borderline patients with manic features offer a privileged point of view for a deeper analysis. This allows for the possibility of a more precise examination of the nature and load of each symptom. Borderline Personality and Bipolar Disorders can be distinguished with high precision using common and time-sparing tests. The importance of discriminating these clinical features may benefit from this evidence.

Cette etude aborde la dramaturgie de Giambattista Pasca a partir de l’analyse du dyptique forme par les traductions/adaptations de El castigo del penseque et de Quien calla otorga de Tirso de Molina. Elle souligne d’une part les dynamiques d’assimilation et d’adaptation du modele a un contexte theâtral nouveau et, d’autre part, l’attenuation des mecanismes dramatiques lies a la representation du pouvoir et de ses contraintes.

Objectives In depressed patients, recent advances have highlighted impairment in mentalizing: identifying and interpreting one's own or other's mental states. Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) has proven to be effective in reducing symptoms and improving relational/functional abilities in these subjects. Therefore, the first aim of our study was to evaluate effectiveness of STPP with Mentalization-Based Techniques (STMBP) on their clinical outcomes and the second, to investigate Reflective Functioning and alexithymia concerning treatment outcomes in depressed subjects. Design A baseline evaluation of reflective functioning, alexithymia and depression was conducted before an STMBP treatment. Patients were re-tested successively after 40 weeks (T1) and in a follow-up after 1 year at the end of the treatment (T2). Methods A total of 24 patients principally diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) underwent a STMBP conducted by two expert therapists. Global Assessment Functioning (GAF), Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) data were collected at the baseline (T0) by two clinical therapists, along with RF scores rated by two trained raters. HAM-D, TAS-20 and GAF follow-ups were conducted at the end of the treatment after 40 weeks (T1) and after 1-year follow-up (T2). Results Results highlighted an improvement of both HAM-D and TAS-20 scores in our sample. Moreover, a negative correlation between RF and TAS-20 was found. Both HAM-D and RF at T0 influenced depressive outcomes at the end of the treatment. Conclusions Results confirmed the effectiveness of STMBP in MDD, suggesting also an inverse association between RF and alexithymia. Practitioner points Our study demonstrates how STMBP could be effective in MDD even after 40 sessions, maintaining its effect in a 1-year follow-up. STMBP improves subjective capability of reflecting on the mental states of oneself and others. Our intervention allows patients to orientate thoughts from inside to outside, reducing negative beliefs also in absence of a pharmacological therapy (during the follow-up).

This study investigated the effectiveness of a newly integrated version of an intervention targeting adoptive mothers' positive parenting for promoting children's emotional availability, by testing the moderating role of both two maternal genetic polymorphisms (i.e., 5HTTLPR and DRD4-VNTR) and emotional availability-EA on intervention outcomes. Mothers with their children (N = 80; Mage = 42.73 years, SD = 3.79; Mage = 33.18 months, SD = 16.83 months) participated in a RCT testing the Video-Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline-VIPP-FC/A effectiveness. Mixed effects regression models showed a significant improvement in mother-child EA for the VIPP-intervention vs. the dummy intervention condition, with a moderating role of maternal EA on children's outcomes. No significant moderating effect was found for the two genetic polymorphisms inquired. Children's and mother's outcomes obtained are discussed.

The first year after adoption constitutes a sensitive period for both strengthening the new emotional bond in the family and checking its appropriate development by adoption services. A key variable for children’s catch-up are adoptive parents’ socioemotional and individual features. The aim of this study is to investigate links between adoptive mothers’ individual features and behavioral problems in their children in the first year after adoption placement, by testing the moderating role of both age at adoption and maternal genetic polymorphisms. Seventy-eight adoptive mothers completed temperament and genetic measures. Mothers showed a specific pattern of interaction between basic temperament traits and genetic markers in their assessment of children’s behavioral problems; dopamine D4 receptor gene and children’s age at adoption are two moderators in the association in which mothers’ temperament was affecting the evaluation of their children’s behavioral problems. Findings highlight a still undervalued area of parenting resources in the process of post-institutionalized children’s catch-up after adoption placement, by showing how individual features count in the commonly measured variable of children’s behavioral and emotional problems. This could help in orienting identification and choice of key variables for family assessment after adoption placement, thus contributing in fostering children’s healthy development.

Institutional rearing and structural neglect represent a primary caregiver deprivation experience and fall outside the range of the average expected typical childhood environment. Research indicates that variables related to proximal processes, such as the quality of care, rather than only distal variables, such as the duration of institutionalisation, may affect the adjustment of institutionalised children. The present study involved 100 Ukrainian children aged four- to eight-years old (39 institution reared and 61 family reared) and investigated children's adjustment as a function of two distal variables and one proximal variable: age at admission and the duration of institutionalisation; and the current quality of care, as represented by favourite caregivers' perceived helplessness in the caring task. Attachment shortcomings and cognitive impairments were reported for institutionalised children, independently of the duration of institutionalisation. Low scores for professional caregivers' helplessness were associated with better scores for indiscriminate friendliness and non-verbal reasoning in children. We conclude that caregiving variables matter and attention needs to be paid to them in order to improve the wellbeing of children in potentially neglectful contexts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ‘The present study involved 100 Ukrainian children aged four- to eight-years old’ Key Practitioner Messages Institutionalisation is a structural neglect condition, increasing the risk for children's social-emotional and cognitive impairment. Professional caregivers often lack information on how to support children and are faced with challenging working conditions, resulting in an emotionally distant caregiving. The study showed that institutionalised children's attachment and cognitive development are two compromised domains.

The current study investigates the contribution of children's age at adoption (M = 46.52 months, SD = 11.52 months) and parents' attachment on post-institutionalized children's attachment and social-emotional adjustment. A total of 132 subjects, 48 post-institutionalized children aged 3-5 years, and their adoptive parents, took part in the study. One year from adoption, children's attachment distribution was as follows: 31% secure, 42% disorganized, and 27% insecure. Parents' secure attachment increased children's probability of presenting a secure attachment pattern; specifically, mothers' attachment patterns were most strongly associated with those of their adopted children, with fathers' making an additional contribution. Two years from adoption, secure children showed more adequate social competences than their insecure and disorganized peers and presented better emotional comprehension. The effect of age at adoption was delimited to a marginal association with behavioral problems. This pattern of associations suggests that attachment - both of adoptive parents and of children - substantially fosters social-emotional adjustment of post-institutionalized children who have experienced a period in emotionally neglecting environments beyond their first year of life, regardless of their age at adoption. Implications for policies and practices are discussed.

The Manchester Child Attachment Story Task (MCAST) is a story stem method suitable for children aged about 4 to 8, aimed at assessing children's attachment representations with a doll-play format that is evaluated with a series of dimensional scales and classifications. Although this instrument has already been validated in previous studies, not all of the findings have been conclusive. The aims of the present study were (1) to examine the factor structure of the MCAST scales, and (2) to test the association between children's dichotomized MCAST classifications and factors with social competence, using the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale (SCBE) with a normative group of Italian preschoolers (age range 4.4 to 6.1). Results obtained from a sample of 64 children confirm the association of MCAST attachment classifications (security vs. insecurity and organization vs. disorganization) with both social skills and behavioral problems. Further independent studies on the variables analyzed are recommended for corroborating the findings obtained.

We report the outcome of an investigation on how specific attachment states of mind and corresponding risk factors related to different DSM Axis I comorbidities in subjects with BPD. Mental representations of attachment in four BPD sub-groups (BPD and Anxiety/Mood Disorders, BPD and Substance Use and Abuse Disorders, BPD and Alcohol Use and Abuse Disorders, and BPD and Eating Disorders) were assessed in 140 BPD subjects using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). In addition to the global attachment picture in which Insecure organized (Dismissing 51% and Enmeshed 35%) and Insecure disorganized categories (40%) were overrepresented, significant differences in attachment category were found between the four BPD sub-groups. Axis I comorbidities corresponded with attachment features on the internalizing/externalizing functioning dimension of the disorder. Furthermore, specific constellations of inferred developmental antecedents and attachment states of mind corresponded differentially with the BPD sub-groups. Implications for developmental research and clinical nosology are discussed.

Objective The aim of this study was to characterize the role of attachment in adoption, first by assessing the influence of adoptive parents on their late-adopted children and second by investigating the role of children's attachment on an emotional understanding task. Design On children's arrival into adoptive families, parents' attachment was evaluated. After 12–18 months, children's attachment towards mothers and fathers was assessed. Twelve months later, children participated in an emotional understanding task. Method Parents' attachment was assessed using the Adult Attachment Interview. Children's attachment and emotional understanding were evaluated respectively using the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task and the Test of Emotion Comprehension. Results A correspondence of 80% (security vs. insecurity) and 60% (security vs. avoidant or ambivalent insecurity K= 0.40) between mothers' and children's pattern of attachment was found. A secure state of mind in both adoptive parents was a protective factor towards children's attachment disorganization. Finally, there was a significant association between children's security of attachment and their performance on the emotional understanding task. Conclusion Adoption appears to be an intervention that assures the adoptive child an opportunity to catch up on emotional development and to partially resolve prior traumatic attachment experiences; adoptive parents play a central role in the emotional adjustment of their children.

Mental representations of disorganized attachment: a pilot study with abusive mothers - Objective: this study focuses on the investigation of disorganized attachment in a group of maltreating mothers in order to identify potential risk factors of abusive parenting. Method: A sample of 10 "maltreating" mothers and a control group matched by age and socio-economic status were recruited. Mothers’ attachment mental representations were assessed using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). The AAIs were coded by two different coding systems (i.e. Main et al. and Lyons-Ruth et al. systems) in order to fully investigate the disorganization of maternal states of mind. Results: Preliminary data show a significant percentage of disorganized attachment according to the new Hostile-Helpless classification system. Specifically, the hostile subtype was more frequent than other indicators of disorganization, thus showing potential implications related to abusive parenting. Key words: Adult Attachment Interview, disorganization, maltreatment, parenting. Parole chiave: Adult Attachment Interview, disorganizzazione, maltrattamento, genitorialita.

The paper describes a multicentre study of the psychometric properties of the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task in a sample of 230 Italian children aged 4 to 8 years. The task's internal consistency and inter-rater reliability were investigated; in addition, multiple discriminant analysis was used to explore the contribution of individual coding system scale scores to overall categorical attachment classification. The instrument showed acceptable psychometric properties, especially with respect to Disorganization and Coherence scales. However, our results also suggest that some subscales of the coding system could be modified in order to improve reliability. The implications of our results for future research and further test validation are discussed.

This study explores the relationship between psychotherapists' validation interventions and patients' metacognitive responses at the beginning of treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD). A model of BPD based on disorganized attachment provides the hypothesis that, before patients' internal working model of attachment has been corrected within the therapeutic relationship, therapist interventions that are likely to activate patients' attachment system are also likely to induce temporary disorganization of patients' metacognitive functions. Any validation intervention implies that therapists openly display an understanding and accepting attitude when they comment on patients' reported experiences and is, therefore, likely to activate the patients' attachment system. Linehan's (1993) manual of dialectic-behavioral therapy (DBT) was used as a guideline to assess validation interventions adopted by therapists. The transcripts of the second individual session in the psychotherapy of 19 consecutive patients were analyzed. Checklists based on the DBT manual were used to identify therapists' validating, supportive, and neutral interventions. The Metacognitive Assessment Scale was used to assess changes in specific aspects of patients' metacognitive processes during therapeutic dialogues. Following validation interventions, patients' responses revealed significantly higher rates of temporary metacognitive failure in comparison to the responses solicited by neutral intervention.

Attachment Theory (Bowlby, 1969) and its limitations are first described. Next, emotional availability (EA; Biringen, Robinson, & Emde, 1998; Biringen, 2008) is introduced as an expansion upon the original conceptualization of the parent-child attachment relationship. As a construct and as a measure, EA considers the dyadic and emotional qualities of adult-child relationships. EA is predictive of a variety of child outcomes, such as attachment security, emotion regulation, and school readiness. Recently developed programs to enhance adult-child emotional availability are described.

SYNOPSISObjective. To examine whether parent’s attachment states of mind and parenting alliance contribute to parental stress in the potentially demanding context of adoption. Design. Fifty mother–father pairs (n = 100) completed the Adult Attachment Interview within six months of adoption to investigate attachment states of mind. The Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI/SF) and the Parenting Alliance Measure questionnaires were administered two years after adoption to evaluate stress and the parenting alliance. Results. Multivariate regression models showed that unresolved attachment predicted stress to a greater extent than insecure attachment and, together with low parenting alliance, significantly contributed to explaining levels of stress perceived by parents. In mothers, but not in fathers, parenting alliance moderated the effect of an unresolved state of mind on parenting stress. Conclusion. Unresolved attachment states of mind and the parenting alliance singly, and even more so jointly, influenc...

In this article we review the literature on attachment patterns in institutionalized children and then perform a meta-analysis on data from 10 attachment studies involving 399 children in institutional settings. We computed the overall attachment distribution of secure, insecure, and disorganized rates and explored the effect of a set of moderating variables (i.e., country of institutionalization, attachment assessment procedure, age at entry, and age at assessment). To overcome bias related to the small number of studies, we conducted both classical and Bayesian meta-analysis and obtained comparable results. Distribution of children's attachment patterns was: 18% secure, 28% insecure, and 54% disorganized/cannot classify. Compared to their family-reared peers, children living in an institution were found to be at greater risk for insecure and disorganized attachment, with a similar medium effect size for both distributions (d=0.77 and d=0.76, respectively). The following moderating variables were associated with insecure attachment: representational assessment procedures (d=0.63) and Eastern European countries of origin (d=1.13). Moderators for disorganized attachment were: Eastern European countries of origin (d=1.12), age at institution entry before the first birthday (d=0.93), and age at assessment under three years of age (d=0.91). Implications for child development and policies are discussed.