Maternal Trauma History, Reflective Functioning, and Parental Sensitivity as Predictors of Emotional Dysregulation in Children: An Applied Learning Approach
Keywords:
maternal trauma, reflective functioning, parental sensitivity, emotional dysregulation, children, intergenerational transmissionAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether maternal trauma history, reflective functioning, and parental sensitivity significantly predict emotional dysregulation in children using an integrated model combining traditional statistical methods and applied learning approaches.
Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 240 mother–child dyads in Tehran selected through multistage cluster sampling. Inclusion criteria included mothers with children aged 6–12 years and absence of severe neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Data were collected using standardized instruments, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, Maternal Behavior Q-Sort, and Emotion Regulation Checklist. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-27 for descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis, alongside machine learning techniques (random forest and gradient boosting) implemented in Python to enhance predictive modeling. Model performance was evaluated using R², mean squared error, and cross-validation procedures.
Findings: Results indicated that maternal trauma history significantly and positively predicted child emotional dysregulation (β = 0.36, p < 0.001). Reflective functioning uncertainty was also a significant positive predictor (β = 0.24, p < 0.001), whereas reflective functioning certainty showed a significant negative effect (β = -0.19, p = 0.001). Parental sensitivity emerged as the strongest negative predictor (β = -0.44, p < 0.001). The regression model explained 52% of the variance in emotional dysregulation (R² = 0.52, p < 0.001). Among machine learning models, gradient boosting demonstrated superior predictive performance (R² = 0.67), outperforming both random forest and linear regression models.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical role of maternal trauma, reflective functioning, and parental sensitivity in shaping children’s emotional regulation, with parental sensitivity serving as the most influential protective factor. The integration of applied learning approaches provides enhanced predictive accuracy and supports the complexity of intergenerational processes, suggesting that interventions targeting maternal mentalization and caregiving behaviors may effectively reduce emotional dysregulation in children.
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