Exploring Maternal Reflective Functioning and Cognitive Shifts During the Transition to Motherhood

Barel Rafaeli, Lee; Cywiak, Vanessa; Aharak, Daniel; Enav, Yael; Okon-Singer, Hadas Reflective Functioning—the ability to attribute meaning, beliefs, and intentions to one’s own and others’ behaviors—is crucial in parenthood. The transition to motherhood brings significant psychological changes, increasing vulnerability to postpartum blues, anxiety, and depression. In Israel, this transition is further complicated by ongoing war, political violence, and recent terror events, which can heighten stress and negatively impact cognitive processes, including Reflective Functioning and maladaptive Cognitive Biases.

This research evaluates a group intervention designed to enhance Reflective Functioning during pregnancy and postpartum, assessing its impact on cognitive processes. Specifically, it aims to: (1) determine whether the intervention leads to cognitive processing changes in a general population of mentally healthy women, as measured by a cognitive battery, and (2) examine whether women who develop PPD—either in the control or intervention group—exhibit cognitive shifts due to the intervention. Additionally, the study explores whether modifying maladaptive cognitive biases through intervention can serve as a preventive measure for PPD.