The relationships between attachment quality, metacognition, and somatization in adolescents: The mediator role of metacognition.

Problem: To investigate the associations between attachment quality, metacognition problems, and somatization.

Methods: One thousand and seven adolescents between the ages of 14-17 were included in the study. They completed the DSM-V Level 2 Somatic Symptoms Scale, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (short version), the Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children (MCQ-C), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The Spearmen's rank-order correlation test and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the associations between the scales.

Findings: Correlation coefficients and structural equation modeling indicated that attachment quality is significantly associated with somatic symptom severity, and MCQ-C scores play a partial mediator role in the relationship between attachment quality and somatization.

Conclusion: Improving metacognitive skills in adolescents with low attachment quality may increase therapeutic success when addressing somatization.