| dc.description.abstract | Background: Mothers with substance use disorders (SUD) often show impairments in parental reflective functioning (PRF), which may have adverse effects on their capacity for sensitive caregiving. Parenting personality, as well as the experience of and coping with parenting stress, are also associated with caregiving. However, no studies have investigated how these individual factors may contribute to variance in PRF. Methods: In the current thesis, PRF, personality, and parenting stress experienced by 43 mothers with SUD were assessed. PRF was assessed by administering the Parent Development Interview. Personality traits were assessed by the Revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory, and parenting stress was assessed by the Parental Stress Index Long Form. SUD and other mental health symptoms were assessed by various questionnaires and interviews. The data used in this thesis was cross-sectional, and collected as part of an ongoing doctoral thesis called the 1“Mosaic Project”. The relationships between the constructs of interest were investigated through descriptive data, bivariate and multivariate analyses, and various approaches to mediation. Results: The analyses revealed several significant associations between personality and PRF. However, the Openness factor was the only broad personality trait significantly able to predict PRF. Mediation analyses indicated a full mediation effect of parenting stress in the relationships between the facet Hostility and PRF, and between the facet Tender-mindedness and PRF. Conclusion: The results indicate that higher levels of the Openness trait are associated with better PRF. Furthermore, we suggest that the Hostility and Tender-mindedness facets may affect PRF through their effects on parenting stress regulation. More research is needed in order to assess the relationships between PRF, personality, and parenting stress in SUD. (1)The “Mosaic project” is a collaboration between Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences and Innlandet Hospital (See also Håkansson, Halsa, Söderström, Skårderud, & Øie, 2015). The project’s aim is to generate knowledge about, and promote well-being for children residing in families with parental substance abuse and/ or parental mental illness. The project receives financial support from The Research Council of Norway. | eng |