reflective functioning (capacity to mentalize)
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Data are collected at baseline (T1), within 1 month after treatment termination (T2) and at 12 months follow-up (T3). The duration of the data collection is approximately 90 minutes per test
Sponsors
Verein Dialog
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
6 Years to 12 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Children’s inclusion criteria for participation in the study are: 1) age between 6 and 12 years, 2) stable mental health status (e.g., no psychotic state), 3) living in foster care for at least six months. Caregiver’s inclusion criteria were 1) child lives in the same household and 2) 18 years of age or older.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Children are excluded from the study if presenting neurological, cognitive, and/or psychiatric problems (psychotic disorders), and/or hearing difficulties as reported by their caregiver.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The aim of this study is to provide a detailed insight into the ability to mentalize and psychosocial background of out-of-home placed children from drug abusing families, and to evaluate the applicability of a mentalization-based group intervention for out-of-home children adapted from the Mentalization-Based Treatment for Children (MBT-C) by Midgley et al. (2017) to the specific needs of children of drug-addicted parents. Participants take part in a 20-week mentalization-based group intervention aimed at increasing knowledge about drug addiction and improving the social and affective skills of out-of-home children (6-12 years) from families with addiction problems. Data are collected at baseline (T1), within one month after the end of treatment (T2) and at the 12-month follow-up (T3). Mentalization will be assessed using the Child Reflective Functioning Scale, a scale based on the Child Attachment Interview (CAI) that assesses Mentalization as a reflective function. To assess reflective capacity in the context of out-of-home care, the Piggy Blackfoot Test ("Patte Noire") is used. primary outpoint refers to the improvement of the children's capacity to mentalize through participation at the group intervention. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Furthermore, it is of interest how the children's mental health changes at the three test points. The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/6-18R) is used as a research instrument for this purpose. The following will also be assessed - the Mentalization capacity of the primary caregiver using the Reflective Functioning Scale of the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) - the attitude towards drug use in general of the primary caregiver by means of a questionnaire of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) - the Social Orientation and Reflexivity subscales of the 33-item Social Skills Inventory (ISK) by Kanning (2009) are used to assess the social skills of the primary caregiver. | — |
Countries
Austria
Contacts
Public ContactNadja Springer
Verein Dialog
Outcome results
None listed