Abstract

The current exploratory study involves the implementation of a shortened Mentalization-Based Training (MBT) for parents of preschool children without prior diagnoses related to cognitive, intellectual and/or behavioural challenges. It explores the triadic link between parenting self-efficacy, parenting stress and mentalization (i.e., parental reflective functioning). The research questions are: (1) To what extent does participation in a MBT program affect parents’ reflective thinking and mentalization capacity? (2) To what extent does participation in a MBT program affect parental self-efficacy? (3) To what extent does participation in a MBT program impact parental stress levels? (4) To what extent does participation in a MBT program impact the ways in which parents make attributions about their children’s behaviours and misbehaviours and (5) To what extent does participation in a MBT program affect parents’ attitudes about discipline? A total of five parents took part in the study and took part in two workshops. The Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE), the Parenting Stress Scale (PSS), the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ), as well as semi-structured interviews were conducted before and after the MBT workshops. The results showed that parents demonstrated emerging mentalizing behaviours following the MBT workshops. However, the MBT workshops’ effect on parenting stress and parenting self-efficacy varied according to: (1) parent’s gender; (2) marital status and spousal support; (3) having a support network; (4) parents’ childhood experiences; and (5) parents’ perceptions of their children’s temperament and needs.