THE RELATIONSHIP OF PSYCHOLOGICAL-MINDEDNESS TO ADULT PERCEPTIONS OF EARLY PARENTAL REJECTION

We tested the hypothesis that highly psychologically minded individual s perceive having grown up with rejecting parents. A Psychological Min dedness (PM) Scale. and the Parent-Child Relations Questionnaire II (P CR). were administered to 120 college students. Contrary to prediction , a significant negative correlation was found between PM and percepti ons oi early maternal rejection. Psychological-mindedness, it was sugg ested, may be attributable to ''good enough mothering'' and may be lea rned through modeling and imitation of mothers' empathic perceptions, affective responses, and behavior. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.