Relationship between Parental Bonding and the Impaired Autonomy and Performance Domain of Early Maladaptive Schemas with the Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between parental bonding and the impaired autonomy and performance domain of early maladaptive schemas, which are mediated by emotion regulation. The research method was fundamental in its purpose and utilized descriptive-correlation for data collection. The study's statistical population consisted of 316 students from Allameh Tabataba'i University and Shahid Beheshti University, aged 18 to 35, in Tehran during the academic year 2020-2021. The students were selected using the available sampling method. The research instruments employed were the Parker Parental Bonding Questionnaire (PBI), Young Schemas (YSQ-SF), and Emotion Regulation (ERQ). The data analysis was conducted using the structural equation method and SPSS and LISREL software. The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between parental bonding and the impaired autonomy and performance domain of early maladaptive schemas. Expressive suppression, an inappropriate emotion regulation strategy, serves as a mediating factor in this relationship (Ps <0.05). In this relationship, cognitive reappraisal, which is an appropriate strategy for emotion regulation, did not serve as a mediator. The use of early maladaptive schemas in the autonomy and performance domain in adulthood is correlated with the feeble bond between mother and child, both directly and through the mediation of expressive suppression. This study’s findings underscore the significance of positive parenting in the prevention of the development of early maladaptive schemas and the implementation of appropriate emotion regulation strategies.

Keywords

• early maladaptive schemas
• emotion regulation
• impaired autonomy and performance
• parental bonding