Predictors of treatment use among foster mothers in an attachment-based intervention program

Abstract

The current study examined predictors of treatment use among 56 foster mothers who participated in an attachment-based intervention program for foster infants. Foster mothers' levels of treatment use were coded at early, middle, and late phases of the intervention program. Foster mothers' states of mind with regard to attachment predicted their understanding of the intervention session concepts. Specifically, autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of understanding at the start of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. State of mind with regard to attachment also predicted foster mothers' levels of reflective functioning during the intervention sessions. Autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of reflective functioning at early, middle, and late stages of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. The relevance of these findings for both treatment effectiveness and treatment delivery is discussed.

Keywords:

• state of mind with regard to attachment
• attachment-based intervention
• treatment-use
• foster mothers and infants
• reflective functioning

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grants R01MH084135, R01MH052135, and R01MH074374, to the second author. We acknowledge the support of the parent trainers, and the Delaware Division of Family Services and the caseworkers, foster families, and children involved in this project.