Abstract
The main goal of the current study was to examine Fonagy's hypothesis that reflective functioning (RF) plays a salient role in attachment transmission by influencing maternal sensitivity (Fonagy, Steele, Steele, Moran, & Higgitt, 1991).
RF scores of 37 middle class mothers were correlated with measures of adult attachment representations, maternal sensitivity, and infant attachment.
A significant correlation was found between RF and both adult attachment representations and maternal sensitivity. Follow-up regression and path analyses revealed that although RF had only a modest impact on infant security, this relationship was significantly mediated by maternal sensitivity.