Mentalization in 8 to 11-year-Old Iranian Children: A Qualitative Analysis

Introduction: Mentalization is one’s ability to understand and predict one’s own mental states and those of others. It is an important developmental capacity that fosters emotional and social functioning. Mentalization research in Iran has recently received attention; hence, findings on the development of mentalization in Iranian children are limited. Since mentalization is dependent on context and culture and develops in attachment relationships, identifying these themes in Iranian children was necessary. This study aimed to investigate the attachment-based mentalization themes in middle-aged Iranian children. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 153 Iranian children aged 8–11 years. Interviews were used to assess children’s attachment-based mentalization themes. Results: Thematic analysis revealed eight themes that described mentalization and non-mentalization in the examined children. Reported features in each theme lie on a continuum that describes high or low mentalization in children, as identified in the features and states associated with each theme. Conclusion: This study plays a crucial role in expanding our knowledge of how mentalization develops within attachment relationships.