The contributions of boundary dissolution and trust in the romantic partner to young mothers’ parenting representations

ABSTRACT

The aim of the current study was to explore the contributions of both boundary dissolution (i.e. guilt-psychological control, blurring boundaries, parentification, and triangulation) as experienced in childhood, and trust in the romantic partner to young mothers’ parental caregiving representations. The findings, based on a sample of 80 young Israeli first-time mothers, indicated negative correlations between types of dissolution and their representations. Trust in the romantic partner made a distinct contribution to the formation of mothers’ representations above and beyond mothers’ boundary dissolution. These results are suggestive of the important role of young mothers’ relational history with their own mothers as well as their relationship with their romantic partner in shaping their parenting representations.

KEYWORDS:

• Boundary dissolution
• parental caregiving representations
• young mothers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Yifat Golan Arav (MA) is a certificated art therapist. She works as a therapist and a supervisor for the ministry of education, the university of Haifa and in a private clinic.

Limor Goldner (PhD.) is a Lecturer (Associate professor) at the School of Creative Art Therapies in the University of Haifa in Israel. She is a certificated art therapist and head of the Art Therapy track for ultra-orthodox studensts in the University of Haifa. She investigates the introjection of adequate and inadequate adult-child close relationships and their implications. Specifically, she concentrates on investigating youth mentoring and identifying the participants' antecedents and the relational mechanisms that promote the effectiveness of the intervention. She published several articles and chapters on the topic.