The Structural Relationship between Insecure Attachment Styles and Self-Harm: the Mediating Roles of Resilience and Mentalization

According to research findings, self-harm occurs more in adolescence than in other developmental periods. In addition to affecting social and academic functions, this disorder can lead to serious life risks. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between insecure attachment styles and self-harm with the mediation of resilience and mentalization. The method of this study was correlation. The statistical population included all first and second-high school students of one education district of Zahedan in the academic year of 2022-2023. Using a multi-stage cluster sampling method, 305 students who scored five or higher on the Self-harm questionnaire were selected. To collect data, the Revised Adult Attachment Scale, the Resilience Questionnaire, and the Mentalization Questionnaire were used. The data were analyzed using structural equations modeling using AMOS  and SPSS software. The evaluation of the model showed an acceptable fit with the obtained data. Insecure attachment styles had significant effects on self-harm in adolescents with the mediation of resilience and mentalization (P < 0.05). Moreover, resilience and mentalization had direct effects on self-harm (P < 0.05). The research results indicated that insecure attachment styles could be a strong predictor of self-harm in adolescence due to resilience and mentalization. Considering the significant relationship between the research variables and this disorder, it is suggested that officials prevent the intergenerational transmission of insecure attachment style and self-harm by holding educational workshops for parents.