Maternal insightfulness and preschoolers' emotion and behavior problems: Reciprocal influences in a therapeutic preschool program

David Oppenheim, Douglas Goldsmith, Nina Koren-Karie

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Mothers' insightfulness, which involves understanding the motives underlying the child's behavior in a complete, open, and accepting way, was examined both at the beginning and at the end of a therapeutic preschool program for preschoolers using the Insightfulness Assessment (Oppenheim & Koren-Karie, 2002). The goal of the study was to examine the links between improvement in mothers' insightfulness and reduction in children's behavior problems. Thirty-two children referred to a therapeutic preschool program for a range of behavioral and emotional problems and their mothers participated in the study. Results showed that mothers who shifted from noninsightfulness before treatment to insightfulness after treatment had children whose behavior problems decreased whereas mothers who did not make such gains had children whose behavior problems increased. The social skills of all children improved during treatment. The possible mechanisms linking the gains of mothers and children are discussed within the framework of attachment theory.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)352-367
Number of pages16
JournalInfant Mental Health Journal
Volume25
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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