The mediating roles of self-silence and mentalization in the relationship between differentiation of the self and psychological dating violence

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the differentiation levels of individuals' selves and their behaviors of perpetrating and being subjected to psychological dating violence and to address the mediating roles of mentalization and self-silencing in this relationship. It is also aimed to examine these concepts in terms of different sociodemographic variables. Method: The study sample consisted of 416 participants between the ages of 18 and 29. Data were collected using the Multidimensional Emotional Abuse Scale, the Differentiation of Self Inventory Short Form, the Self-Silencing Scale, and the Mentalization Scale via scale forms shared online. Findings: According to the results of the study, differentiation of self was found to be negatively significantly related to perpetration and victimization to psychological dating violence and self-silencing; and positively significantly related to mentalization. Perpetration and victimization to psychological dating violence was found to be negatively significantly related to mentalization and positively significantly related to self-silencing. In addition, it was observed that perpetration and victimization to psychological dating violence differed according to some sociodemographic variables. According to the results of the mediation effect analysis, both self-silencing and mentalization had mediating roles in the relationship between differentiation of self and perpetration of psychological dating violence, while only self-silencing had a mediating role in the relationship between differentiation of self and victimization to psychological dating violence. Conclusion: In the current study, psychological dating violence was examined comprehensively by considering both the prepetration and victimization behaviors together with the differentiation of the self, mentalization and self-silencing. Since the studies examining psychological dating violence with the mentioned variables are quite limited in the literature, it was thought that the current study contributed to the literature. After discussing the findings in line with the literature, the limitations of the current study were included and finally, suggestions for future studies were mentioned. Keywords: Differentiation of Self, Psychological Dating Violence Perpetration, Psychological Dating Violence Victimization, Self-Silencing, Mentalization