Reflective parenting programs: Theory and development

Recent research has indicated that parental reflective functioning or mentalization plays a crucial role in the development of a range of healthy adaptations in both parent and child. While many parenting interventions developed over the course of the last 20 years have implicitly attempted to enhance mentalization in parents, this article describes an effort to directly intervene with parents to enhance or encourage the development of reflective capacities. In this article, the broad outlines of a reflective parenting approach are described. Two reflective parenting programs are then considered, one a group intervention designed for low-risk parents, the other a home visiting intervention designed for high-risk parents and children.