Compared with control children, they had more
difficulties with friendships, 29 poorer theory
of mind, 16
difficulties labelling and understanding the causes
of common emotions, 16 increased fantasy proneness and
difficulty distinguishing fantasy and reality, 31 increased negative attributional style, dysfunctional attitudes, rumination and self - criticism.32 They also experience
difficulties in the mother — child relationship, with four studies reporting
high levels of disrupted attachment styles, 21, 29, 31, 32 and in role - play scenarios elevated
levels of role - reversal with parents, fear
of abandonment, and negative expectations
of parents.31 These factors are known to put children at risk
of poor mental health outcomes, and indeed, this appears to be the case.