| Sumario: | Caregivers' internal working models represent their thoughts, expectations, feelings, and behaviors in relation to their child. Internal working models have been associated with parenting behaviors, child attachment, intergenerational patterns in relationships, and severity of maltreatment. However, it can be challenging to assess this internal process, in a reliable and valid way. The Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI) is a method frequently used clinically and in research, but additional information is needed on its psychometric properties when used with different populations. The current study aimed to explore the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the WMCI among a large sample of high-risk caregivers to examine its clinical utility. Data were collected from 1227 caregivers as part of a comprehensive, court-ordered assessment, due to caregivers' child welfare involvement. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the WMCI. Reliability analysis of the identified factors was then conducted, and logistic regressions and correlational analyses were used to examine validity. Two factors were identified: Balanced and Disrupted. The reliability for the Balanced factor was high, but only moderate for the Disrupted factor. Validity was established with the two factors predicting the original WMCI classifications and being associated with caregiver trauma recovery, child abuse potential, and one domain of parenting difficulties. Results suggest that the Balanced factor of the WMCI is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the internal working models of high-risk caregivers. However, the Disrupted factor may have clinical utility given support for its validity, but concerns about reliability suggest the need for more research.
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