Mentalization, understood as the ability to recognize and interpret one’s own and others’ mental states, is fundamental to psychological well-being, social interactions, and clinical applications. From a diagnostic perspective, it plays a crucial role in assessing neurodevelopmental and personality disorders as well as antisocial behaviours or psychotic experiences.
This presentation examines key models and approaches to studying mentalization, with particular attention to their conceptual coherence. A crucial question arises: do these frameworks truly capture the same psychological capacity? Findings from the author’s study suggest that multiple reference systems are worth considering, one of which is the level of compassion toward others.
Empirical findings offer a refined approach to mentalization, demonstrating how interpersonal factors shape cognitive and emotional processing. The discussion will address implications for future research, highlighting potential applications in psychological assessment, therapeutic practice, and broader research contexts in normal populations.