Basic Psychological Needs, Entrapment, Conflict Resolution, and Mental Pain in Young Adults: The Moderating Role of Ego Strength

This study examined the influence of fundamental psychological needs, entrapment, and conflict resolution on the mental pain of young adults, with ego strength serving as a moderating variable. The sample consisted of 320 young adults recruited <i>via</i> a web-based public call and selected using purposive selection in a cross-sectional design. The data was gathered utilizing the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scales (BPNS), Entrapment Scale (ES), Conflict Resolution Questionnaire (CRQ), Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths (PIES), and Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP). The analysis indicated that fundamental psychological needs, entrapment, conflict resolution, and ego strength exert a strong direct influence on mental pain. Furthermore, fundamental psychological needs and conflict resolution exert a substantial indirect influence on mental pain <i>via</i> the mediating function of ego strength. Moreover, ego strength substantially influenced both the magnitude and orientation of the association between entrapment and mental pain. Collectively, all independent, mediator, and moderator variables of the SEM model accounted for 75.8% of the variance in mental pain. This study indicates a proportionate SEM for the direct and indirect roles of fundamental psychological needs, entrapment, and conflict resolution on mental pain, mediated and moderated by ego strength. These findings have implications for psychotherapeutic interventions and community-based initiatives targeting mental pain in young adults.