This is a review article which takes issues of the development of self structure in the context of intimate, emotional relationship with parent. The self structure serves as an important factor which impacts psychological and social functioning of a person and is therefore an important determinant of health. Constructing self-concept and development of processes which carry out its creation is based upon representation of child in parent’s mind. Therefore, it is important that this representation is adequate and complex. In the work which is being presented two factors which influence this representation are described: mentalization skills of parent and characteristics of child. The second factor is described on the basis of an example of behaviors of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The described factors are interrelated, influence one another, and shape style of building relations within a family – shape family lifestyle.

Key words: self-concept, mentalization, autism, autism spectrum disorders.