Attachment states of mind and reflective functioning in mothers who regret parenthood

This study examined associations among attachment states of mind (Adult Attachment Interview; AAI), reflective functioning (RF-AAI), and parenthood regret (Parenthood Regret Scale) in 165 cisgender, heterosexual Italian biological mothers (M = 39.00, SD = 10.40) of children aged 0–18 years. Mothers classified as dismissing or unresolved reported significantly higher parenthood regret than those classified as secure-autonomous or preoccupied. Unresolved abuse, but not unresolved loss, was significantly associated with higher parenthood regret. Mediation analyses indicated that greater AAI coherence of mind was associated with lower parenthood regret both directly and indirectly through higher RF. Overall, the findings support two attachment-related pathways to parenthood regret─fear of repetition/trauma (unresolved abuse) and defensive exclusion/identification (dismissing)─and highlight the clinical value of tailoring interventions to mothers’ attachment states of mind. Specifically, interventions may focus on trauma integration for mothers with unresolved representations, increasing affect access for those with dismissing representations, and strengthening mentalization across groups.