REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING: AN ANALYSIS OF MEASURES AND THE 18- ITEM PARENT REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING QUESTIONNAIRE

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was 1) to conduct a systematic literature review of reflective functioning (RF) measures to identify the most appropriate parent RF tool for Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) program evaluation, and 2) to examine the factor structure and test the discriminant and construct validity of the Parent Reflective Functioning Questionnaire-18 (PRFQ-18). The literature review identified 86 studies containing 11 RF measures. The psychometrics of the PRFQ-18 were tested in a sample of 306 Canadian parents via an online survey called “Experiences in Parenting.” A confirmatory factor analysis of the PRFQ -18 supported a 3-factor structure with 3 subscales: 1) pre-mentalizing, 2) interest and curiosity, and, 3) certainty of mental states. Theoretically consistent relationships were found between the PRFQ-18 and stress, parental coping, parental competence and social support. These results confirm that the PFRQ-18 is a suitable measure to assess parent RF pre and post COS-P.