Development of a Mentalization-Based Co-Parenting Package: A Qualitative Study
Keywords:
divorce, children, parenting challenges, co-parenting, mentalizationAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to develop a mentalization-based co-parenting intervention package. The research was conducted through three consecutive studies. The objective of the first study was to identify parenting challenges and conflicts following divorce.
Methods and Materials: The research population consisted of this qualitative study divorced parents, from whom 13 participants were purposively selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria; participant number was determined according to the principle of data saturation. The research instrument was a semi-structured interview. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis based on the approach of Braun and Clarke (2006).
Findings: Four primary challenges were identified: (1) traumatic redefinition of the family structure after divorce by both parents, (2) parental neglect and lack of trust in the other parent’s parenting competence, (3) mutual revenge-seeking behaviors, and (4) the child as the hidden victim. The second part aimed to extract co-parenting concepts grounded in mentalization theory. The research setting included all scholarly texts related to mentalization, from which six texts were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The research tool consisted of line-by-line textual analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using the content analysis method proposed by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Findings indicated that the principal concepts included: (1) reflective functioning, with subcomponents involving understanding one’s own and others’ psychological states; (2) mentalization outcomes, including identity formation support and enhancement of self-regulation; (3) psychopathology, encompassing impaired mentalization and weakness or absence of mentalization foundations; (4) mentalization goals, including the development of coherent self-representation and the creation of psychological security through support seeking and empathy; and (5) therapeutic strategies and techniques, including balanced brain training and skills training. During this process, two sets of themes were systematically integrated so that post-divorce parenting challenges could be reduced through the application of mentalization techniques among parents.
Conclusion: Based on these findings, the developed educational package appears suitable for promoting effective co-parenting.
Downloads
References
Ahrons, C. R. (2007). Family ties after divorce: Long-term implications for children. Family Process, 46(1), 53-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00191.x
Alaeinejad, N., Torkan, H., & Yousefi, Z. (2025). Development of a mentalization-based communication skills training package for adolescent girls with self-injurious behaviors. Mental Health and Lifestyle Journal, 3(3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.61838/mhlj.3.3.1
Bateman, A., Rüfenacht, E., Perroud, N., Debbané, M., Nolte, T., Shaverin, L., & Fonagy, P. (2024). Childhood maltreatment, dissociation and borderline personality disorder: Preliminary data on the mediational role of mentalizing in complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 97(Suppl. 1), 58-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12514
Bateman, A. W. (2022). Mentalization-based treatment. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000310-011
Caksen, H. (2022). The effects of parental divorce on children. Psychiatriki, 33(1), 81-82. https://www.psychiatriki-journal.gr/documents/psychiatry/%C3%87aksen%202021_Letter_Letter_Pre%20Proof.pdf
Campbell, C. G. (2023). Two decades of coparenting research: A scoping review. Marriage & Family Review, 59(6), 379-411. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2022.2152520
Damota, M. D. (2019). The effect of divorce on families' life. Journal of Culture, Society and Development, 46, 25-29. https://doi.org/10.7176/JCSD
Eira Nunes, C., De Roten, Y., El Ghaziri, N., Favez, N., & Darwiche, J. (2021). Co-parenting programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Family Relations, 70(3), 759-776. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12438
Eslami, R. A., & Zokaei, M. S. (2022). Validation in qualitative research: Adapting the typologies of religiosity in Iran with Arbaeen discourses. Biannual Scientific-Research Journal of Religion and Cultural Policy, 8(2), 33-60. https://www.jrcp.ir/article_13027.htmlhttp:/jrcp.ir/article_146856.html
Fonagy, P., & Allison, E. (2013). What is mentalization?: The concept and its foundations in developmental research. Routledge. https://api.taylorfrancis.com/content/chapters/edit/download?identifierName=doi&identifierValue=10.4324/9780203123003-3&type=chapterpdf
Ghasemi, M. R., & Ghorbani, M. (2024). The impact of parental divorce on children and adolescents delinquency and prevention strategies. Journal of Applied Criminological Research, 2(5), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.22034/aqcr.2025.2062806.1071
Hamamah, F., Acharjya, V., & Sukardi, D. (2025). Divorce and children sexual deviant behavior from the perspective of criminal law and sustainable development goals. Unifikasi: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 12(1), 48-61. https://doi.org/10.25134/unifikasi.v12i01.789
Hamidi, R., Ahmadi, S., & Heidari, H. (2024). Lived experience of parents from parenting challenges after divorce: A phenomenological study. Journal of Psychological Sciences, 23(138), 1473-1490. https://doi.org/10.52547/JPS.23.138.1473
Mangelsdorf, S. C., Laxman, D. J., & Jessee, A. (2011). Coparenting in two-parent nuclear families. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/12328-002
McHale, J. P., Negrini, L., & Sirotkin, Y. (2019). Coparenting (Vol. 1). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000099-027
Mortelmans, D. (2020). Economic consequences of divorce: A review. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44575-1_2
Pejman, A., Khanjani, M., & Hossein Sabet, F. (2024). Development and validation of a cognitive-behavioral co-parenting training package and its effectiveness on maternal restraint, parental self-efficacy, and co-parenting relationships in mothers with emotional divorce. Ethics in Research Committee. https://doi.org/IR/ethics.2025.83657.1229
Pilkington, P., Rominov, H., Brown, H. K., & Dennis, C. L. (2019). Systematic review of the impact of coparenting interventions on paternal coparenting behaviour. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(1), 17-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13815
Rector LaGraff, M., Stolz, H. E., & Brandon, D. J. (2015). Longitudinal program evaluation of "Parenting Apart: Effective Co-Parenting". Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 56(2), 117-136. https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2014.996044
Shevchenko, I. O. (2016). The situation after divorce: Fathers and children. Sociological Research, 55(2), 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1080/10610154.2016.1187024
Spremo, M. (2020). Children and divorce. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(Suppl. 3), 353-359. https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/381817
Wagner-Skacel, J., Riedl, D., Kampling, H., & Lampe, A. (2022). Mentalization and dissociation after adverse childhood experiences. Scientific reports, 12(1), 6809. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10787-8
Wallerstein, J., Lewis, J., & Packer Rosenthal, S. (2013). Mothers and their children after divorce: Report from a 25-year longitudinal study. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 30(2), 167-184. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032511
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Zahra Rabiee (Author); Zahra Yousefi (Corresponding author); Mansoureh Bahramipourisfahani (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
