The mediating role of mentalized affectivity in the relationship between attachment styles and intolerance of uncertainty

Subject Areas : روان‌شناسی تحولی

Sara Entezari ¹ , Somayeh Robat Mili ^{2 *}

1 - MA in Clinical Psychology Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch
2 - دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی/ علوم و تحقیقات/ روانشناسی بالینی

Received: 2025-02-28 Accepted : 2025-02-28 Published : 2025-02-28

Keywords: intolerance of uncertainty, attachment styles, mentalized affectivity,

Abstract :

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mentalized affectivity in the relationship between attachment styles and intolerance of uncertainty among university students. Research method was correlation based on structural equation modeling. 452 students who were studying in Tehran province in the academic year of 1400-1401 were selected through convenience sampling and filled out Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (Freeston, Rhéaume, Letarte, Dugas & Ladouceur, 1994), Adult Attachment Inventory (Besharat, 2013) and Mentalized Affectivity Scale (Greenberg, Kolasi, Hegsted, Berkowitz & Jurist, 2017). SEM analysis showed that the structural model of the research fits the collected data. Mentalized affectivity mediates the relationship between secure attachment and intolerance of uncertainty negatively, and the relationship between ambivalent attachment style and intolerance of uncertainty positively, but the coefficient of the indirect path between avoidant attachment and intolerance of uncertainty was not significant. Therefore, findings support the idea that students’ capacity to mentalize affectivity has a positive effect on their tolerance of uncertainty and considering the protective function of mentalized affectivity, it is possible to consider educational or therapeutic programs based on it for this.

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