Linking Mind and Brain: Psychology and Neurobiology, and the Importance of Meaning

Abstract

The concept of reflective functioning has been a major advance in both psychoanalytic and developmental theory. Drawing on much earlier work by pioneers such as Bowlby, as well as concepts such as the observing ego and empathy, it has been embraced by developmental psychologists and psychotherapists for its ability to explain psychopathology as well as to underpin psychotherapy-specifically mentalizationbased therapy. It has been particularly useful in explaining borderline and narcissistic personality disorders. The ability to measure this function has given additional weight to its importance, but existing measures tend to be lengthy and impractical for routine use in clinical settings. In this issue, a group of colleagues from Québec, Canada, in collaboration with Peter Fonagy in London, report their work on measuring reflective function in adolescents using a self-report instrument, the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire for Youth (RFQ-Y). Duval, Ensink, Normandin, Sharp and Fonagy tested the RFQ-Y in a community-based sample of 533 adolescents and young adults, comparing it with established assessment tools (the Child Behaviour Checklist, the Borderline Personality Features Scale and the Pathological Narcissism Inventory) to assess validity. They were able to identify three factors that were correlated with problematic styles of mentalizing associated with increased risk of psychopathology in general, as well as difficulties like narcissism in particular. The authors conclude that self-report measures like the RFQ-Y are potentially helpful for understanding and identifying problematic mentalizing, the measurement of which has implications for clinical intervention.