Investigation of the effects of mentalization, parental emotion regulation and parenting on child behavior problems through path analysis

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between parent mentalization and child behavior problems through parent regulation of their child's emotions (including acceptance of their own and their child's emotions, approach to their child's emotions, and avoidance of their child's emotions) and parenting (parental rejection). A total of 587 parents, aged between 18 and 68 (M = 40.44, SD = 5.77), with children aged between 7 and 13 years, participated in the study. Parental mentalizing was assessed using the Mentalizing Scale; parent regulation of their child's emotions was measured with the Parent Emotion Regulation Scale; parenting behaviors were evaluated with the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (Short Form); and child behavior problems were assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Path analyses were conducted through AMOS. According to the path analysis findings, as parental mentalization increases, the orientation toward the child's emotions increases, and the avoidance of emotions decreases; thus, parental rejection decreases and the child's behavioral problems decrease after controlling for the parents' perceived socioeconomic status and education level. This study showed that the parents' mentalization affects child behavior problems through the parents' regulation of the child's emotions and parental rejection. In conclusion, these findings contribute to the literature on factors influencing child behavior problems.