The mediating role of emotion regulation and mentalization in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and somatization symptoms

This study aims to examine the mediating roles of emotion regulation and mentalization in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and somatization, and to investigate the predictive effects among these variables. The sample of the study consisted of 360 individuals, including 184 women (51%) and 176 men (49%). The participants' ages ranged between 18 and 61 years (31.14±10.70). Participants were voluntarily recruited online through snowball sampling. They completed the Sociodemographic Information Form, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Somatization Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale – Short Form, and the Mentalization Scale via online administration. To test the main hypothesis of the study, PROCESS Hayes mediation effect analysis was conducted through SPSS macro. According to the results, there was a partial mediation effect of emotion regulation difficulties in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and somatization (β=0.53, BootSE=0.10, t=9.84, p<0.05, CI [0.34, 0.75]), while mentalization did not have a mediation effect (β= .01, BootSE= .01, t=-1.25, p>0.05, CI [-0.01, 0.06]). Additionally, adverse childhood experiences positively predicted somatization (β=0.37, t=7.69, p<.05) and difficulties in emotion regulation (β=0.36, t=7.48, p<.05) and negatively predicted mentalizing (β=-0.10, t=-1.99, p<.05). In addition, difficulties in emotion regulation positively predicted somatization (β=0.55, t=12.74, p<.05) and mentalizing negatively predicted somatization (β=-0.099, t= .024, p<.05). The findings of the study indicate that difficulties in emotion regulation partially mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and somatization. These results are suggested to be considered by relevant professionals in treatment planning for patients reporting somatic symptoms. The results have been discussed according to previous research.