Validation of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) in francophone control and clinical samples

Article Article scientifique Article Validation of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) in francophone control and clinical samples eng 2025-10-28 2025 author Descartes Flora 0009-0005-6973-0655 Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 894942 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Besch Vincent Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 880090 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Bouteloup Margaux Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, UFR SLHS, Besançon, France. 954676 author Nicastro Rosetta Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. 58466 author Pham Eléonore Sibylle Minh Le Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. 645607 author Rufenacht Eva Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. 636385 Département de psychiatrie (PSYAT) author Perroud Nader Ali 0000-0002-9282-9216 Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom. 94458 Département de psychiatrie (PSYAT) author Debbané Martin Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Psychiatric Specialties, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland. 543333 Section de psychologie (PSICO) e0332724 10.1371/journal.pone.0332724 41150688 1932-6203 PMC12561985 https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332724 Aims: The Mentalization Scale (MentS) is a self-report measure for the assessment of mentalizing capacities, consisting of 28 items, yielding a three-factor structure: self-mentalizing, mentalizing others and motivation to mentalize. Its anglophone version has been validated for usage in both research and clinical contexts. The present study explores the psychometric properties of the francophone translation of the MentS, in both control and clinical samples. Method: A total of 711 participants were enrolled in this study. The MentS was administered to a community sample (N = 302, 161 females, Mage = 37.1, SDage = 12.3), and to a clinical sample composed of participants diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and co-occurring BPD and ADHD (N = 409, 266 females, Mage = 32.5, SDage = 11.9). Confirmatory factory analysis was used to analyze the fit of the model in our data, followed by reliability and validity analyses. Results: Results from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a 27-item model to best fit the data for both control and clinical samples. In the control sample, good internal consistency was found for the total scale (α = 0.856, ω = 0.867) as well as for the three subscales MentS-Motivation (α = 0.789, ω = 0.801), MentS-Other (α = 0.792, ω = 0.798) and MentS-Self (α = 0.824, ω = 0.828). Similarly, good internal consistency was found in the clinical sample for the total scale (α = 0.871, ω = 0.879) and subscales (Motivation α = 0.770, ω = 0.783) (Others α = 0.842, ω = 0.847) (Self α = 0.808, ω = 0.815). The MentS demonstrated good temporal stability over a one-year interval, with excellent average-measures ICC for the total scale (ICC = .877, 95% CI [.843,.904], p < .001), and strong reliability for the Motivation (.837), Others (.806), and Self (.837) subscales (all ps < .001). The validity of the scale was confirmed using additional measures showing a coherent pattern of associations in relation to components underlying the construct of mentalization: reflective functioning, childhood trauma, cognitive emotion regulation, overall psychopathology distress and borderline symptomatology. Conclusion & clinical implications: The MentS can be used for research and clinical purposes in francophone samples. Our results suggest that amongst French speaking samples, a 27-item solution may be most optimal in both clinical and control populations. Evidence shows the scale could be employed across diagnostic entities, and that participants scoring low in self-mentalizing (MentS-Self subscale) may be more likely to report increased manifestations of psychopathology. Adult Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology Borderline Personality Disorder / diagnosis Borderline Personality Disorder / psychology Factor Analysis, Statistical Female Humans Male Mentalization Middle Aged Psychometrics / methods Reproducibility of Results Self Report Young Adult Dewey 616.89 Dewey 150 Swiss National Science Foundation Examining the contribution of mentalization in adolescent attentional difficulties 179033 CH 108 Section de psychologie 71 60 Département de psychiatrie 225 false 1342 Régulation des émotions : TDAH et trouble de la personnalité borderline 1028 603 Unité de psychologie clinique développementale (UPCD) PloS one 20 10 5f293a30-b8c3-4d51-9031-19e80c561904 Article (Published version) Public journal.pone.0332724.pdf 608912 application/pdf CC BY-4.0 3c564505d294b2eb6cc9aa0f87d36d577e038c3449d38155ef22f09c22f42774 0ba1dbbd-8151-4a1e-a5a1-5a54c20eda20 Supplemental data Public pone.0332724.s001.docx 38151 application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document 63e9b96c125a05827d04b2b799a5fe575cda1f21ad9aa04c47c807edc83e3b2a openAccess Faculté de psychologie et des sciences de l'éducation / Section de psychologie Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de psychiatrie

Title	Published in	Year	Views	Downloads

Validation of the Mentalization Scale (MentS) in francophone control and clinical samples	PloS one	2025	26	838
Revue systématique de la littérature des facteurs de risque et de protection des processus parentaux et familiaux en lien avec l'usage problématique des réseaux sociaux chez les adolescents		2023	86	11

Archive ouverte UNIGE

Descartes, Flora

account_balance Affiliation entities

Affiliation entities