Examining the relationship between perceived parenting attitude, emotion regulation and cognitive flexibility in adolescents

This study aimed to examine the relationship between adolescents' perceived parental attitudes, emotion regulation, and cognitive flexibility. Conducted using a relational survey model, the study included 431 high school students (274 females and 157 males) from Ankara, Türkiye. Data were collected through the "Personal Information Form," "Parental Attitude Scale," "Cognitive Flexibility Scale for Adolescents," and "Emotion Regulation Scale for Adolescents." Data were analyzed using İndependent Samples T-test, Anova, Post Hoc tests, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis. Results showed no significant gender differences in perceived parental attitudes. However, female students scored higher on internal dysfunctional and external functional emotion regulation, while males scored higher on cognitive flexibility. Significant differences were found in democratic attitudes and emotion regulation subscales based on grade level, but not on family type. Perceived democratic attitudes were positively associated with internal and external functional regulation and negatively with dysfunctional strategies. Similarly, cognitive flexibility was positively correlated with functional and negatively with dysfunctional emotion regulation. It was concluded that both perceived parental attitudes and cognitive flexibility significantly predicted emotion regulation. Findings were discussed within the framework of relevant literature.