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Clinical techniques
Published in Robert McAlpine, Anthony Hillin, Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents, 2020
Robert McAlpine, Anthony Hillin
Finally, interpersonal matters that occur within therapy can increase mentalization. These reflections provide an avenue for the young person to think about his state of mind and that of the therapist. This process encourages the young person to reflect on how he thinks and feels about himself and others; how this may influence unhelpful responses; and, with this new insight, how to make more adaptive communication choices. The therapist’s role is to guide the discovery process, moving from the therapy room to relationships outside of therapy and how to improve communication within these other relationships.
Towards a learning stance in teams: Developing a community of practice to capture and disseminate what works for whom
Published in Ilana B. Crome, Richard Williams, Roger Bloor, Xenofon Sgouros, Substance Misuse and Young People, 2019
Mentalisation refers to people’s capacities (in brain terms, primarily prefrontal) for maintaining a stance that respects the roots of actions (of self, and of others) in thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires. In other words, it refers to the common-or-garden activity of attributing mentality or subjectivity to an agent. It describes the human skill of imaginatively interpreting the intentions behind actions and predicting successful responses based on these understandings. Rather than being a directly inherited trait, there is strong evidence (Fonagy et al., 2002) to show that it is a function that is developed (and may be rekindled) in the context of trusting (attachment) relationships; one learns to mentalise by being mentalised by a trusted other.
Share How You Feel
Published in Scott A. Simpson, Anna K. McDowell, The Clinical Interview, 2019
Scott A. Simpson, Anna K. McDowell
This technique aids the patient in mentalizing. Mentalization is the ability to understand one’s own as well as other person’s mental states.4 These mental states include thoughts, feelings, and motivations. Very upset persons have difficulty mentalizing just as they have difficulty managing any complex idea or conversation. In this dialogue, the patient quickly backed off a provocative stance. Perhaps the patient was too upset to realize how they were being perceived. Or perhaps the clinician’s response humanized the clinician as a person who does not deserve to be treated poorly.
Mentalization-oriented psychodynamic group therapy for patients with personality disorders: a naturalistic prospective cohort study
Published in Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 2023
Bo Anton Svensson, Jacob Bredtoft, Elsebeth Stenager, Pia Veldt Larsen, Lotte Skøt, Christian Sibbersen, Angelina Isabella Mellentin
Nevertheless, our findings imply that including some elements of MBT does not ensure low dropout rates as seen in many (full-scale) MBT trials [18]. With regard to this, it is important to mention that the group setting incorporating patients with different PDs might reduce the specific responsivity of those with EUPD to the MBT elements of the treatment [47]. Mentalization might be a persuasive way to describe the core pathology in most patients with a PD [51]. There is evidence to suggest that a dimensional approach may more accurately describe PDs, as opposed to the traditional categorical diagnostic view reflected in the DSM-5 and ICD-11 [52,53]. Research specifically exploring a common overarching factor among PD patients found evidence that borderline personality disorder might represent the ‘core construct’ of personality pathology [51,54,55].
Exploring Clinician Wellbeing within a Mentalization-Based Treatment Service for Adult Offending Males with Antisocial Personality Disorder in the Community
Published in International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 2021
MBT aims to enable clients to ‘mentalize’ more often, reducing the risk of chaotic social interactions and disruptive relationships which increase the risk of offending (McGauley et al., 2011). Mentalization is a broad concept referring to the ability to be attentive to the mental states of ourselves and others, both physically and psychologically (Bateman & Fonagy, 2016). Given that clients with ASPD are often unable or unwilling to perspective take or reflect on personal or other people’s experiences, it is understandable that they often struggle to “mentalize”, feel rejected and disrespected which can lead to antisocial behavior (Bateman & Fonagy, 2016). Consequently, enhancing people’s ability to identify others’ intentions and emotions can enhance social functioning and reduce antisocial behavior (Fonagy et al., 2020).
The Mental States Task (MST): Correlates and New Perspectives on Mentalizing in a Lebanese Student Sample
Published in Journal of Personality Assessment, 2021
Pia Tohme, Ian Grey, Rudy Abi-Habib
The Object Rational subscale falls in between the lower and higher mental states, reflecting some distancing from the emotional experience, only useful at times. Higher mental states are associated with more mature defenses and a capacity to recognize and elaborate on the subjective experience encountered, thus facilitating discussions about both positive and negative affect. These comprise of a) High Defensive level, representing a move toward an integrated subjective experience, albeit the presence of some mature defenses and b) Reflective Thinking, which echoes Fonagy et al. (1991) definition of mentalization, namely the capacity to consider the mental states underlying one’s and others’ behaviors. The MST also yields a total score, with higher scores reflecting higher, more genuine, mentalizing capacities, related to positive and adaptive constructs such as impulse control and emotion regulation (Beaulieu-Pelletier, 2012; Beaulieu-Pelletier et al., 2013; Bouchard et al., 2008; Dauphin et al., 2013; Gorska, 2015; Lee-Parritz, 2015; Marszał & Janczak, 2018).