Mentalizing approach (Luyten)

Question 1

Mentalising/reflective functioning

Answer 1

Capacity to understand the self and others in terms of intentional mental states, such as feelings, desires, wishes, goals and attitudes. Mostly in humans.

• Evolutionarily prewired capacity
• Environmental input is necessary to develop a fully balanced capacity
• psychopathology can be characterized by temporary or chronic impairments/disruptions in this capacity (transdiagnostic concept)
• Factor associated with recovery. Not explicitly focused, but fostered

Question 2

Parental mentalising / PRF

Answer 2

Capacity to understand one’s child as motivated by internal mental states. Determined by a broader set of factors influencing child development. like family, neighbourhood, environment and sociocultural context. This facilitates the circle of trust attachment and social learning

Question 3

Attachment style differences in mentalizing dynamics

Answer 3

Secure:
- High switch point to automatic
- Moderate activation of automatic mentalizing
- Fast recovery to controlled mentalizing

Hyperactivating: (PDs)
- Low switch point: hyperresponsive to stress
- Strong activation of automatic mentalizing
- Slow recovery to controlled

Disorganized
- Incoherent switch point
- Strong activation of automatic mentalizomg
- Slow recovery to controlled.

Question 4

Relationship/context

Answer 4

Mnentalizing is fundamentally interactive, capacity to mentalize develops in the context of interactions with others and is continually influenced by the mentalizing capacity of those around you. It is therefore, to an extent, relationship and context dependent.

Question 5

3 modes of mentalizing

Answer 5

1. The psychic equivalence:
   - Thoughts and feelings become too real.
   - Can’t take perspective of others
   - Domination dimensions: Self, external and affective
2. Teleological:
   - Only real, observable goal-directed behaviour are recognized
   - extreme exterior focus, loss of controlled mentalizing
3. Pretend mode:
   - Thought’s feelings are severed from reality
   - No connection to reality, can lead to feeling of derealization.
   - Dominating: explicit mentalizing, inadequate internal focus, poor belief-desire