Reported history of childhood trauma, mentalizing deficits, and hypersomnia in adulthood: A mediational analysis in a nonclinical sample.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Existing research has confirmed the link between childhood trauma and poor sleep quality in adulthood. This study focused on the relationship between childhood trauma and hypersomnia specifically, which is understudied. Additionally, childhood maltreatment has been related to mentalizing deficits. The current study examined the role of mentalizing deficits as mediators between childhood trauma and hypersomnia. METHOD: The study sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 496 individuals, who participated in the online survey, which contained the following measures: Persian version of the Mini Sleep Questionnaire, Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ-8), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). RESULTS: The results from structural equation modeling indicated that emotional abuse positively predicts hypersomnia. Mediation analysis confirmed that hypo-mentalizing partially mediates the association between emotional abuse and hypersomnia. CONCLUSION: The present study provides primary evidence that experiencing emotional abuse during childhood is associated with hypersomnia in adulthood. This association underlines the importance of prevention. The result from mediation analysis suggests addressing mentalizing impairments in patients with hypersomnia and a history of emotional abuse may be helpful.

Parental burnout and depression among Iranian mothers: The mediating role of Maladaptive Coping modes.

OBJECTIVE: Depression in mothers impacts children negatively. Understanding the antecedents and the underlying mechanisms of depression is essential in helping clinicians target depressive symptoms effectively. This study investigated the relationship between parental burnout and depression in mothers and examined the mediation role of Maladaptive Coping modes. METHOD: A total of 224 mothers participated in this study and completed the Parental Burnout Assessment scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and items related to coping modes in Schema Mode Inventory. RESULTS: Data analysis with structural equation modeling revealed that depression and parental burnout were positively and significantly related. Bootstrap analysis showed that all coping modes except the Self-Aggrandizer mode act as mediators between parental burnout and depression in mothers. Detached Protector mode had the strongest indirect effect on depression. CONCLUSION: The results suggest Maladaptive Coping modes mediate the association between parental burnout and depression. The present finding provides evidence that Maladaptive Coping modes can be considered probable mediational mechanisms that relate depression to parental burnout in mothers and may serve as potential interventional targets.

Perceived Parental Styles and Alexithymia in Adult Iranian Migraine Patients: The Mediating Role of Emotional Schemas.

Migraine, which is a highly prevalent headache, is often comorbid with alexithymia. Parental styles contribute to the development of alexithymia. The core psychological mechanisms that connect parenting to alexithymia and can be targeted in psychotherapy are not yet studied. The objective of this study was to explore the role of emotional schemas as a possible mediator between perceived parental styles and alexithymia in migraine patients. Study participants consisted of 208 (67 males and 141 females) Iranians who completed the Farsi version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (FTAS-20), Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS II), and Measure of Parental Styles (MOPS) online. For mediation analysis, structural equation modeling was used based on Baron and Kenny's mediation model. The results demonstrated that mother overprotection and mother indifference were significantly related to alexithymia in migraine patients. Emotional schemas and alexithymia were also positively and significantly related. Additionally, mother overprotection and father indifference showed positive and significant covariation with emotional schemas. Data analysis with structural equation modeling revealed that emotional schemas partially mediate the relationship between parental styles and alexithymia in migraine patients. The current study expands our knowledge of possible mechanisms that relate childhood experiences of being parented and alexithymia in migraine patients. Findings of this research imply psychological treatments can benefit from targeting emotional schemas in migraine patients with alexithymia.