The Mediating Role of Early Memories of Happiness and Peace in the Relationship Between Belonging and Mental Well-Being

It is accepted that a childhood spent happily and peacefully in which basic psychological needs are met sufficiently and satisfactorily is a prerequisite for healthy adulthood. It is thought that belonging has a particular place and importance among these needs. Mental well-being is, in many ways, a concept that includes the criteria of psychological health. This research aimed to test the mediating role of early memories of happiness and peace in the relationship between belonging and mental well-being. To this end, the Early Memories of Happiness and Peace Scale and the Belonging Scale and the Mental Well-Being Scale were applied to 396 participants aged between 25 and 32 years. The research found moderate positive significant relationships between belonging and mental well-being (γ = .56) and belonging and early memories of happiness and peace (γ = .58) and a high positive significant relationship between early memories of happiness and peace and mental well-being (γ = .63). In the testing of the model created to determine the mediator variable effect, it was observed that early memories of happiness and peace had a partially mediating role in the relationship between belonging and mental well-being