Verbal and nonverbal parental mentalizing profiles: Distinct profiles of mind-mindedness and embodied parental mentalizing according to infant attachment and parental factors

Developmental researchers have highlighted the role played by parental mentalizing in early attachment. However, the manner in which verbal (i.e., mind-mindedness) and nonverbal (i.e., parental embodied mentalizing) parental mentalizing relate with one another on an individual level, and subsequently, how they contribute to parent-infant attachment, remains largely unexplored. Using a person-centered approach, this study aimed to identify verbal and nonverbal mentalizing profiles and their associations with infant attachment, as well as with parental factors and interactional context (e.g., exploration, transitions). Based on longitudinal studies from three countries (Canada, United Kingdom, and Israel), this study included 412 mother-infant dyads. Mind-mindedness and parental embodied mentalizing were assessed through two distinct observational procedures during free-play interactions at 6–8 months. Infant attachment was evaluated using the Strange Situation Procedure at 15–16 months. Latent profile analyses identified four parental mentalizing profiles based on verbal and nonverbal indicators: very low consistent, low consistent, high consistent, and inconsistent. The three consistent profiles reflected low or high levels across both verbal and nonverbal indicators, whereas the inconsistent profile was marked by inconsistency: these parents produced more non-attuned comments than other profiles but still demonstrated good embodied mentalizing and made appropriate mind-related comments. Results showed that the high consistent profile was associated with greater infant attachment security than the very low consistent, low consistent, or inconsistent profiles. This study suggests distinct parental mentalizing profiles based on verbal and nonverbal indicators, and their differential relations with later child attachment.