The Relationship between Mentalization and Grief Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Developmental Study

Subject Areas : روان‌شناسی تحولی

Maryam Aghahosseini Jengheshlaghi ¹ , پریسا سادات موسوی ² , Shahla Pakdaman ³ , Pegah Nejat ⁴

1 - Shahid beheshti university
2 - شهید بهشتی
3 - PhD Associate Professor in Shahid Beheshti University
4 - Faculty of Education and Psychology, shahid beheshti university

Received: 2022-11-19 Accepted : 2024-04-26 Published : 2024-05-30

Keywords: Mentalization, Reflective Functioning, Grief Experience, Covid-19 Pandemic,

Abstract :

The main goal of the present study was to determine the relationship between mentalization and grief experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. The moderator role of age and sex was investigated in the relationship between mentalization and the grief experience. For this purpose, 200 Iranian adolescent, adult and middle-aged men and women who had lost a family member or acquaintance during the epidemic period were selected using the available sampling method and completed the grief experience questionnaire (Mehdipour et al., 2009) and the reflective functioning questionnaire (Fonagy et al., 2016). Data analysis was done by calculating Pearson correlation and regression analysis. The results showed a significant positive relationship between RFQc and the grief experience. There was a significant negative relationship between RFQu and the grief experience. The relationship between RFQc and the grief experience, and RFQu and the grief experience didn’t depend on age and sex. According to the results of the research, mentalization during the grief experience can act as a protective factor. It is recommended to use mentalization in designing appropriate interveining approaches during the grief experience.

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