Objectives: The aim of the research was to determine the reliability, factor structure, as well as validity of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) - a self-report measure of mentalization.
Methods: Two groups of subjects were examined. The first group (N = 202) consisted of students from Poznan universities; the other group (N = 229) consisted of individuals employed in various positions, with different education levels. The following measures were used: Mentalization Questionnaire, the Borderline Personality Inventory, the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Revised, the short version of the International Personality Item Pool NEO Personality Inventory, short version of Empathy Quotient and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire.
Results: Reliability analysis showed high internal consistency of all three MentS subscales, and the factor analysis supports the three-factor structure of the questionnaire. Mentalization as measured by MentS was positively linked with mentalization-related constructs: empathy and emotional intelligence. Obtained relations between mentalization and attachment dimensions, borderline features and personality traits as well as observed gender differences also support the validity of the MentS.
Conclusions: The verification of the hypotheses formulated in the present study has led to the conclusion that the Polish version of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) - a new measure of mentalization - has high psychometric value and may be used for brief yet multifaceted measurement of mentalization.
Keywords: mentalization; questionnaire; self-report.