Reflective Functioning Training on the Adult Attachment Interview

About this course

The Reflective Functioning on Adult Attachment Interviews course focuses on the coding of ‘reflective functioning’ of adult attachment interviews (AAI-RF).

Coding of 'reflective functioning' is a way to operationalize the concept of mentalization, which Peter Fonagy and colleagues have developed into a core theoretical concept in our model of normal and pathological emotional and self-development. The coding involves looking at thinking as revealed in interview narratives about important emotional attachment relationships, to see how far the person draws on a psychological model of motivation, of what happens in close relationships - to what extent they think in terms of their own and other people's minds, feelings, attitudes, intentions and so on, when they try to understand their experiences.

This use of mental state understanding has been shown to predict attachment status in an infant from the parent's Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), and to predict important aspects of that infant's later development. It is not necessary to have learned AAI coding or administration to do the AAI-RF training, although for those who are trained attachment coders the RF scale functions as an additional AAI scale. This course does not provide training in how to code attachment representations.

Who is this course suitable for?

Mental health professionals, researchers, social workers and teachers working with adult personality and psychopathology. Some experience of interviewing adults would be an advantage, as would some familiarity with attachment theory, methods or research. However, nothing beyond interest in learning about the method is required.

Aims of course

To teach the rationale and technique of applying the RF coding protocol to AAI in order to assess the capacity to mentalise in adults. This includes the teaching of the manualised method of coding and reviewing various interviews, providing practice in the coding of RF. Administration of the AAI will be briefly be explained in order to understand the coding procedure.

Reliability Test

In order to receive AAI-RF accreditation, participants are required to complete the Reliability Test which includes the additional coding of 10- 15 Adult Attachment interviews. Those that choose to do the Reliability Test will be sent a zip file containing 15 Adult Attachment Interviews and instructions at the end of the Reflective Functioning on Adult Attachment Interview training. On successful completion of the Reliability Test you will be authorised to use the Reflective Functioning Scale for clinical or research purposes.

Please note, accreditation will only be given to those who successfully complete the Reliability Test. There is an additional £100 reliability fee if you wish to receive AAI-RF accreditation.