Predicting Melancholic Depression by Mental Pain Mediation: The Roles of Object Relations and Childhood Trauma

The study was aimed to investigate the relationship between object relations, childhood trauma and melancholic depression with the mediation of mental pain in teenage girls. The research method was descriptive and correlational. The study population included all teenage girls aged 15 to 18 lived in Kerman, Iran 2022. A sample of 500 teens were selected using the voluntary manner. Research data were collected through Object Relations Scale, Childhood Trauma and Mental Pain Scale. Data analysis was done using Pearson correlation statistical tests and structural equation modeling. The results showed that the model predicting melancholic depression based on the role of object relations and childhood trauma with the mediation of mental pain had satisfactory fit. Also, the indirect effect of object relations and childhood trauma through mental pain and the direct effect of mental pain on melancholic depression were confirmed. According to the findings of this study, defective relationships with parents during childhood and the experience of neglect and abuse during this period can serve as a basis for the formation of factors contributing to the onset of melancholic depression. Attention to these factors can provide guidance for counselors and parents in preventing melancholic depression.