Objective:

To explore the mechanisms linking specific types of childhood adversity to mental health outcomes through the lens of mentalization.

Approach:

• Sample: A community sample of 302 adults (53% female; M = 37.1, SD = 12.3) completed validated self-report measures.
• Methods: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine pathways linking deprivation and threat to psychological symptoms.
• Measures: Participants completed measures of childhood trauma (CTQ), self- and other-mentalizing (MentS), and psychological symptoms (SCL-90-R).

Key Findings:

• The structural model explained 36.8% of the variance in psychopathological expression.
• Deprivation was negatively associated with other-mentalizing.
• Threat was positively associated with other-mentalizing and negatively associated with self-mentalizing.
• Self-mentalizing was negatively related to psychopathology, while other-mentalizing showed positive associations with symptomatology.
• A significant indirect path emerged from threat to other-mentalizing through self-mentalizing to psychopathology.

Interpretation:

Findings support the Dimensional Model of Adversity and Psychopathology (DMAP), indicating distinct effects of threat and deprivation on mentalization and psychopathology.

Limitations:

• The study relies on self-report measures, which may introduce bias.
• The sample may not be representative of the general population.

Conclusion:

Mentalization is identified as a mechanism linking early adversity with adult psychological functioning.