Mothers' and fathers' mentalization as moderators of the association between marital conflict and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveInvestigating concordance between parents' mentalization and their moderating effects on the link between children's exposure to marital conflict and internalizing and externalizing behaviors.BackgroundMarital conflict is a risk factor for children's behavior. Mentalization is a parental strength that can protect children's well‐being in the face of adversity. Little is known about parental mentalization within the family context.MethodCohabiting, heterosexual Israeli couples (N = 89) with a 3‐ to 5‐year‐old child were interviewed individually to assess their mentalization skills (mind‐mindedness). Reports of the child's exposure to marital conflict using the O'Leary‐Porter Scale of Marital Conflict and externalizing and internalizing behaviors using the Child Behavior Checklist were obtained.ResultsThere was limited accord between parents' mentalization within each couple. The positive associations between conflict exposure and children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors were mitigated when the parents' mentalization skills were matched or when the mother's mentalization skills were high. A significant three‐way interaction emerged such that the contribution of the father's mentalization skills to the prediction of children's externalizing and internalizing behavior depended on the mentalization skills of the mother and the level of exposure to conflict.ConclusionCoordinated, high levels of parental mentalization can mitigate the negative impact of exposing children to parental conflict.ImplicationsParental mentalization can mitigate children's exposure to marital conflict. Enhancing parental mentalization is an important treatment goal for the family and for the child. Family interventions can benefit from evaluating each parent's initial parental mentalization skills to determine whether the parental couple share a similar level of this capacity. Detecting and addressing gaps between the parents in their parental mentalization skills can facilitate coordinated and shared parenting.