Exploring parental mind-mindedness in the context of atypical and at-risk development: A scoping review of parental well-being, parenting, and child characteristics.

Parental mind-mindedness (MM), the tendency of parents to interpret and comment on their child's internal mental states, is a critical factor in caregiving and child development, particularly in vulnerable or atypical developmental populations. This scoping review synthesizes research on MM in parents of atypically developing children, examining group differences compared to typically developing populations, links between parental MM and well-being, and connections between MM and broader parenting skills. The database search identified twelve studies published between 2012 and 2026. Findings across studies are mixed: while some report no significant MM differences, others show that parents of neurodivergent children more often use negative or symptomatic descriptors, suggesting challenges in recognizing internal states. Positive MM appears associated with aspects of parental well-being, particularly lower parenting stress or distress, although findings for anxiety and depression are more mixed. However, maternal anxiety and child behavior outcomes show a complex interplay, with MM potentially moderating negative effects. The review also explores intervention studies that target MM to enhance parental functioning and child development. In conclusion, MM emerges as a meaningful construct for understanding and supporting parenting in atypical and at-risk developmental contexts, warranting further research on its role in early intervention and parent-child outcomes.