Savoring interventions for mothers of young children: Mechanisms linking relational savoring and personal savoring to reflective functioning

Abstract

Parenting interventions can improve parenting outcomes, with widespread implications for children's developmental trajectories. Relational savoring (RS) is a brief attachment-based intervention with high potential for dissemination.Here we examine data from a recent intervention trial in order to isolate the mechanisms by which savoring predicts reflective functioning (RF) at treatment follow-up through an examination of the content of savoring sessions (specificity, positivity, connectedness, safe haven/secure base, self-focus, child-focus). Mothers (N = 147, M age = 30.84 years, SD age = 5.13; Race: 67.3% White/Caucasian, 12.9% other or declined to state; 10.9% biracial/multiracial, 5.4% Asian, 1.4% Native American/Alaska Native, 2.0% Black/African American; Ethnicity: 41.5% Latina) of toddlers (M age = 20.96 months, SD age = 2.50; 53.5% female) were randomized to four sessions of RS or personal savoring (PS). Both RS and PS predicted higher RF, but through different means. RS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater connectedness and specificity of savoring content, while PS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater self-focus in savoring content. We discuss the implications of these findings for treatment development and for our understanding of the emotional experience of mothers of toddlers.

Culturally adapting relational savoring: A therapeutic approach to improve relationship quality

“…Latina mothers, in particular, showed greater reflective functioning and greater use of the intervention (i.e., intervention uptake) at follow‐up (Borelli, Kerr, et al., 2022). Examination of potential mechanisms underlying treatment effects is underway (Borelli et al., 2023; Borelli et al., 2024).…”

“…The findings reveal that RS is effective in improving emotional states (Borelli, Kerr, et al., 2022; Burkhart et al., 2015), relationship satisfaction (Borelli, Rasmussen, et al., 2014), parenting sensitivity (Borelli, Hong, et al., 2022; Borelli, Kerr, et al., 2022; Borelli, Russo, et al., 2022), and cardiovascular reactivity (Borelli et al., 2019), and when delivered in the context of an attachment‐based group intervention, in reducing mental health symptoms (Borelli, Yates, et al., 2020). RS has been evaluated among parents (majority female) of toddlers (Borelli et al., 2023; Borelli, Kerr, et al., 2022; Burkhart et al., 2015; Doan et al., 2023; Smiley et al., 2024), incarcerated parents (Kerr et al., 2022), adult romantic partners in long‐distance relationships (Borelli, Rasmussen, et al., 2014), partnered couples (Wang et al., 2023), female non‐deploying partners of military personnel (Borelli, Sbarra, et al., 2014; Froidevaux et al., 2023), older adults aged 60 to 90 (Borelli et al., 2019), adolescent males in residential treatment (Wang, Bouche, et al., 2020; Wang, Huang, et al., 2020), and low‐income Latine mothers and adolescents (Borelli, Yates, et al., 2020). The intervention has also been evaluated among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (Gaskin, 2021; Pereira et al., 2021) in the United States and Singapore.…”

Reframing caring for parents who struggle with substance‐use disorders

“…Indeed, this is likely true for all parents. As Borelli et al (2023) suggest, focusing on positive relational moments when parents and children are savoring their being together gives parents the opportunity to relive and review their successes, see times when they are competent, and be naturally incentivized to strive for more of these moments. Relational savoring also builds on Dr Suchman's approach to substance-using parents in her care.…”

Enhancing parental reflective functioning: A special tribute to the life and work of Nancy E. Suchman, PhD

“…Next, Elizabeth Peacock‐Chambers, Nancy Suchman, and their collaborators (in press) discuss considerations regarding implementation of Mothering from the Inside Out within home visiting programs serving new mothers with an opioid use disorder. Broadening the scope to related interventions, Jessica Borelli and her colleagues (2023) examine the mechanisms underlying the effects of relational savoring (Borelli et al., 2020) on mothers’ reflective functioning. Finally, Amanda Zayde and her collaborators (2023) present data derived from a preliminary study of Connecting and Reflecting Experience (CARE; Zayde et al., 2021), the group mentalizing intervention for mothers of older children inspired by their work with Nancy.…”