Mentalizing and emotion regulation: Evidence from a nonclinical sample

Abstract

Theoretical conceptualizations of mentalizing postulate a close relationship between the ability to mentalize and the regulation of emotional states. The former is viewed as a key process to modulate the latter, with the origins of the link between the two established in early attachment relationships. However, there is a lack of research testing this association empirically. In the present cross-sectional study, the hypothesis of a positive relationship between the two constructs was tested based on data collected on more than 500 nonclinical adult participants. Various self-assessments and an experimentally derived instrument of mentalizing were employed to this end. Correlational analyses confirmed the expected associations between emotion regulation and mentalizing. In addition, regression models showed that adaptive as well as maladaptive emotion regulation, independent of age, gender, and native language, could be predicted only by self-focused mentalizing.

Key words:

• mentalizing
• emotion regulation
• MASC
• MZQ

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicola-Hans Schwarzer

Nicola-Hans Schwarzer, PhD, studied special needs education (MEd) and educational research (MA). He is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at Ludwigsburg University of Education, Department for Special Education of the Emotionally Impaired, Germany.

Tobias Nolte

Tobias Nolte, MD, studied medicine in Göttingen, Germany, and obtained an MSc in Psychodynamic Developmental Neuroscience from UCL, London, UK, in a combined programme with the Yale Child Study Center, USA. He is currently working as a clinical research fellow at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL and as a Senior Researcher at the Anna Freud Centre, London. He works as a psychoanalyst (IPA) in private practice and at the Hallwick Personality Disorder Service, St Ann’s Hospital, London.

Peter Fonagy

Peter Fonagy, OBE, FMedSci, FBA, FAcSS, PhD, is professor of contemporary psychoanalysis and developmental science at UCL, London, UK. He is head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL, chief executive of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, and consultant to the Child and Family Programme at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, USA. He also holds visiting professorships at Yale and Harvard Medical Schools, USA. His clinical interests center on issues of early attachment relationships, social cognition, borderline personality disorder, and violence.

Stephan Gingelmaier

Stephan Gingelmaier, PhD, holds a Master’s in general science education, an MSc in psychology, and a PhD in medical psychology. He has worked with emotionally impaired children and adolescents as a special education teacher and is trained as a psychodynamic family therapist (BvPPF), psychodynamic counsellor (D3G), and group analyst (D3G). Since 2015, Stephan has been professor for psychology and diagnostics for emotional and social development (special education of the emotionally impaired) at Ludwigsburg University of Education, Germany. His main scientific fields of interest are mentalization in nonclinical fields, personality disorder in the field of education, informal/everyday diagnostics, supervision/counselling, professionalization, and mental health.