"Maternal Mind-Mindedness: Elucidare l'impatto sullo sviluppo socioemotivo dei bambini con disturbi neurosviluppo"

Abstract The relationship between a mother and her infant greatly affects the child's cognitive, social, and behavioral development. This study investigates the impact of mind-minded comments on the cognitive development of children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs). It also examines the effectiveness of a Video-Feedback Intervention as a means to increase the occurrence of these comments during mother-infant interactions. As a part of the "Supporting Parenting at Home Empowering Rehabilitation through Engagement" project, this research utilizes a pre-and post-intervention design. Participants include children with NDs and their mothers. The intervention involves video-feedback sessions where mothers observe their interactions with their infants, aiming to enhance their reflective awareness and promote mind-mindedness. Mind-minded comments refer to verbal communications that focus on the infant's mental experiences, such as thoughts, feelings, and intentions. These comments serve as linguistic stimuli, aiding the child in understanding their own mental states and fostering self-awareness. By exploring the impact of mind-minded comments, this study aims to uncover the potential benefits of maternal verbal interactions on the cognitive development of children with NDs. Comprehensive assessments, including standardized measures and observational coding systems, are utilized to evaluate cognitive functioning and mind-mindedness before and after the intervention. Statistical analyses, such as regression models and repeated measures analyses, are applied to examine the relationship between mind-minded comments and cognitive development. The hypothesis posits that a higher occurrence of mind-minded comments during mother-infant interactions will be associated with improved cognitive development in children with NDs. Additionally, it is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in mind-minded comments following the intervention, indicating the efficacy of the Video-Feedback Intervention in promoting reflective awareness and nurturing environments. The findings of this study hold implications for understanding the role of maternal interactions in the cognitive development of children with NDs. The potential benefits of mind-minded comments in facilitating cognitive processes can inform interventions and support programs aiming to optimize developmental outcomes in this population.