The mediator role of parental attachment style on the relationship between parental early maladaptive schemas and child problem behaviors

The main purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of parental attachment style on the relationship between mothers' early maladaptive schemas and child's problem behaviors. In addition, it was investigated whether the variables of mothers' early maladaptive schemas, mothers' attachment styles and children's problem behaviors differed according to socio-demographic data. The research sample consists of 211 mothers who have children between the ages of 4-6. Inventory of Experiences in Close Relationships – II (YIYE-II, Young Schema Scale Short Form-3 (YŞS-SF3), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (4/17) Parent Form (SGA) and Socio-Demographic Information Form were applied to the mothers who participated in the study. As a result of the research, while the mother's anxious attachment style did not have a mediator effect on the mother's impaired autonomy schema domain and the child problem behavior relationship, a partial mediation effect was observed in the avoidant attachment style. The mother's anxious and avoidant attachment style shows a partial mediation effect in the relationship between the mother's disconnection and rejection schema domain and the child problem behavior. The mother's anxious and avoidant attachment style exerts a full mediator effect on the mother's impaired limits schema domain and child problem behavior relationship. Anxious and avoidant attachment of the mother has a partial mediation effect in the relationship between mother's other-directedness schema domain and child problem behavior. In addition, it was observed that mothers' high standards schema domain differed significantly depending on number of children and education level variables. Maternal impaired limits schema domain differed significantly depending on mother's age and the child's age variables, the maternal other-directedness schema domain showed a significant differentiation according to the child's age variable. Also, the mother-avoidant attachment style showed a significant difference according to the mother's education level, and the child problem behaviors showed a significant difference according to the mother's education level and the mother's age variables. It is thought that the results of the research can contribute to the evaluation of early maladaptive schemas, attachment styles and other risk factors of parents in the emergence of children's problem behaviors, as well as the findings obtained can be a source for parent psycho-education programs.