The mediating role of adult attachment insecure style on the relationship between mentalization and adverse childhood experiences in a sample of community-dwelling adults

dverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to any stressful or potentially traumatic events that happen before age 18 years. Early neglect and an early high–emotional environment seem to impair the normal acquisition of the understanding of the self and others (mentalization) and have an impact on the attachment relationship that persists into adulthood. Few studies have evaluated the associations between ACEs, attachment and mentalization in adult community samples. The present study aims to evaluate the associations among ACEs, adult attachment style in peer relationships and mentalization in a sample of 403 community–dwelling adults. Participants were administered the Childhood Abuse and Trauma Scale, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, and the Mentalization Questionnaire. The results showed significant associations between ACEs, mentalization, and adult insecure attachment style. Moreover, the insecure attachment styles Discomfort with Closeness and Need for Approval fully mediated the observed associations between ACEs and mentalization deficit. These data suggested that ACEs impact on mentalization via its effect on avoidant and preoccupied attachment style and that an adult insecure attachment style in individuals who experienced early adverse events could impair mentalization ability. Furthermore, they seem to present relevant clinical implications highlighting the importance of the development of a secure attachment relationship in the therapeutic context.