Mentalizing, or reflective functioning, refers to the capacity to reflect on one's own and others' mental states in terms of desires, intentions, and feelings. Reflective functioning in men's mental health is poorly understood, particularly in reference to men's resilience and motivation for personal growth. Using a cross-sectional design, the present study investigated impaired reflective functioning in relation to resilience and personal growth initiative among men with mental health concerns. An online sample of 1065 men self-reporting mental health concerns completed measures of reflective functioning, psychological distress, resilience, and personal growth initiative. Logistic regression examined reflective functioning in relation to likely serious mental illness, including interaction with age. Subsequent regression analyses controlled for distress severity in examining associations with resilience and personal growth initiative, and in examining the potential mediating role of reflective functioning. Impaired reflective functioning was significantly associated with serious psychological distress irrespective of age and, after controlling for distress severity, with resilience and personal growth initiative. Moreover, impaired reflective functioning was a significant mediator of the relationship between resilience and personal growth initiative. Findings provide preliminary support for reflective functioning as salient to men's resilience and agency for personal change, indicating a potentially important target in men's mental health work.

中文翻译：

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反思功能和男性心理健康：与适应力和个人成长主动性的关联

心理化或反思功能是指从欲望、意图和感受方面反思自己和他人心理状态的能力。人们对男性心理健康的反思功能知之甚少，尤其是在男性的适应力和个人成长动力方面。本研究使用横断面设计，调查了有心理健康问题的男性与韧性和个人成长主动性相关的反思功能受损。1065 名男性自我报告心理健康问题的在线样本完成了对反思功能、心理困扰、适应力和个人成长主动性的测量。逻辑回归检验了与可能的严重精神疾病相关的反思功能，包括与年龄的相互作用。随后的回归分析控制了痛苦的严重程度，以检查与弹性和个人成长主动性的关联，以及检查反思功能的潜在中介作用。无论年龄如何，反思功能受损都与严重的心理困扰显着相关，并且在控制了困扰的严重程度后，与恢复力和个人成长主动性显着相关。此外，受损的反思功能是韧性和个人成长主动性之间关系的重要中介。研究结果为反思功能提供了初步支持，该功能对男性的适应力和个人改变的推动力尤为突出，表明这是男性心理健康工作中一个潜在的重要目标。