Parentification and cyber dating abuse in emerging adulthood: The direct and indirect role of anxious and avoidant attachment in close relationships

The aim of this study is to examine the direct and indirect role of Anxious and Avoidant Attachment in Close Relationships in the relationship between 'Parentification' and 'Cyber Dating Abuse' in emerging adults. The sample of the study consists of 903 female and 597 male students who study at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University in the Spring Semester of the 2021-2022 Academic Year, aged between 18- 29, with a mean age of 21.42 (Ss= 1.66). In the study, 509 students of the sample group study at the Faculty of Education, 498 students study at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 299 students study at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, and 194 students study at the Faculty of Tourism. In the study, the " Parentified Child Scale - Adult Version, Cyber Dating Abuse Scale, Inventory of Experiences in Close Relationships-II (FRI-II)" scales were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data, the structural equation model was used within the framework of the relational scanning model and the analyzes to be made in the research were made with SPSS 28 and AMOS package programs. In the study, firstly, the measurement was analyzed. After the measurement models had produced good fit, the relationships between the variables were examined.Accordingly, as parenting increases, cyber dating abuse and anxious attachment increase; avoidant attachment decreases. In the second stage of the study, the data were tested by the structural equation model. As a result of the research, it was revealed that while the mediating variables were absent in the model, parentification positively affected cyber dating abuse and this effect was statistically significant and positive when the mediating variables were added. Accordingly, both anxious attachment and avoidant attachment partially intervene parentification and cyber dating abuse. The findings obtained as a result of the research were discussed in the relevant literature and suggestions were presented for the future studies. Keywords: Parentification, cyber dating abuse, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment