The Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of Mentalization Questionnaire: A Self-Report Measure for the Assessment of Mentalizing Capacity

The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Dimitriev et al (2017) Mentalization questionnaire in the Iranian population. The present study was quantitative and non-experimental. The sample of the present study consisted of 333 students of Payame Noor University in Aleshtar who were selected by available sampling methods from different fields. Participants answered the questionnaires on Mentalization, attachment style, social cognition, and mindfulness. For analysis, data from Cronbach's alpha, divergent and convergent validity, and confirmatory factor structure was used. Cronbach's alpha for the total score and its three components was between 0.73 to 0.86, which indicates the suitable reliability of this questionnaire. The findings of confirmatory factor analysis showed that this scale has three components in Iranian society and the model fit indices and factor loads were desirable. Mentoring and its components were positively correlated with mindfulness, secure attachment style, and social cognition, which indicates the favorable convergent validity of this questionnaire, and were negatively correlated with avoidant and anxious attachment style, which indicates the favorable divergent validity of this questionnaire.Was. with mind-awareness, secure attachment style, social cognition and negatively correlated with avoidant and anxious attachment style, which indicates the divergent and convergent validity of this questionnaire. In general, the Persian version of the Mentalization questionnaire has suitable psychometric properties for use in psychological research in Iranian society.