Mediating role of the attachment style in the relationship between parenting style and early maladaptive schemas

Applied parenting styles are influenced by various personal and environmental factors. In Turkey, there are limited studies that examine the factors influencing parenting styles adopted by individuals. The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of individuals' early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and attachment styles on the parenting style they employ. The study reached 194 participants through purposive sampling method via the internet. The participants were administered the Young Schema Questionnaire - Short Form 3 (YSQ-SF3), the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR), and the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). The correlation analysis revealed that as EMS scores increased, the levels of authoritarian and permissive parenting also increased, while democratic parenting did not significantly change. Furthermore, an increase in avoidant attachment levels was associated with a decrease in democratic parenting and an increase in authoritarian and permissive parenting. However, an increase in anxious attachment levels did not significantly alter democratic parenting, but it was associated with an increase in authoritarian and permissive parenting. Mediation analyses indicated that avoidant attachment mediated both the relationship between EMS and democratic parenting and EMS and authoritarian parenting. On the other hand, anxious attachment only mediated the relationship between EMS and authoritarian parenting. Neither avoidant nor anxious attachment mediated the relationship between EMS and permissive parenting. The present study is expected to contribute to parents' understanding of their schemas, attachment styles, and parenting styles, enabling them to make more informed decisions during the child-rearing process.