Browsing by Author "Urpo-Viranko, Kristiina"

Mentalization and its neuroscientific basis has been studied a lot concerning mental health, nurturing and parenthood, but in the field of early childhood education there has not been so much research. The purpose of this study is to examine thinking processes of the adults working with toddlers in mentalistic perspective. The main intent is to clarify how an adult perceives and interprets both his /her own and toddlers' behavior in terms of intentional mental states e.g. feelings, needs, goals, reasons and purposes. Throughout this study I want to increase understanding of mentalization and reflective function (RF) as one quality factor in early childhood educators work. This study was carried out as a part of a study in University of Helsinki called Children's stress regulation and learning (LASSO) –research project and its PedaSens –intervention. This study includes interviews of ten (n=10) early childhood educators working with toddlers in day care centers, that participated in LASSO project. This theme interview was carried out as a qualitative research, using partly quantitative methods. Two rating scales (MM & RF), based on mentalization theory, were applied in analysis of the litterated interview material. Also education frames were used to describe mentalization appearing in a pedagogical environment. According to this study, the mentalization ability was at least almost normal or higher level among all participants. The results were compared also in two groups, that were formed according to earlier involvement in PedaSens –intervention. The results suggest, that RF was on a little bit higher level in that group, that had been involved in intervention. Similarly the capacity to see toddlers as individuals with minds was a little bit better than in the other group, that had not yet participated intervention. The study findings verify the perception, that mentalization is a sense, that can be improved. Also the findings confirm the notion, that stress may decrease educators' mentalization capacity.