The role of childhood experiences and maternal reflective functioning on maternal self-efficacy skills

The influence of maternal reflective functioning in the relationship between adverse and benevolent childhood experiences, and maternal self-efficacy was examined in this study. The sample comprised 155 mothers at least having one child aged 12-36 months. Data were collected by utilizing a demographic form, the Patient Health Questionnaire-Depressive Symptoms (PHQ-9), the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire, the Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) Scale, the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire-Short Form (PRFQ-SH), and the Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index-Toddler Scale (SEPTI). PROCESS Procedure for SPSS Version 4.2 was used to investigate two mediational models. The first model was not tested because ACEs had no significant relationship with maternal self-efficacy. In the second model, while the "Pre-Mentalizing Modes (PM)" dimension of maternal reflective functioning partially mediated the relationship between BCEs and maternal self-efficacy (b = .807, 95% CI [.165, 1.507]), the other two dimensions of maternal reflective functioning did not mediate the relationship. The study demonstrates that with the increase in the mother's BCEs, mentalization skills that support the mother's interaction with the child's world increase, and thus, maternal self-efficacy increases. The implications based on preventive and intervention-oriented programs and services for psychological counselors and professionals working with new mothers were evaluated.