Examining the relationship between attachment dimensions, emotion regulation, early malodoptive schemang and autobiographic memory characteristics in young adults

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among avoidant and anxious attachment traits, autobiographical memory traits, difficulties in emotion regulation, and early maladaptive schemas. The sample of the study consists of 501 university students determined through random sampling method. The research data were collected face to face through "Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-Relationship Structures (EFIR-IR) Mother Form", "Autobiographical Memory Characteristics Scale", "Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form", "Young Schemas Scale-Short Form 3", and "Personal Information Form". In order to define the sample in the study, percentage and frequency were calculated, and within the scope of descriptive analyses, mean, standard multiplication, kurtosis, skewness and internal consistency coefficients were calculated. The causal relationships between the research variables were tested using Two-Step Structural Equation Modeling. In addition, the mediation relationship between the variables was examined using bootstrapping. According to the research findings; it was seen that there was no significant relationship between the vividness and emotional intensity dimensions of autobiographical memory and the other variables of the study, which are avoidance and anxiety, insecure attachment dimensions, maladaptive schemas and emotion regulation variables. It was seen that avoidance, one of the attachment dimensions, had a positive significant relationship with emotion regulation and maladaptive schemas. It was seen that anxiety, one of the attachment dimensions, had a positive significant relationship with emotion regulation and maladaptive schemas. A similar positive significant relationship was observed between difficulty in emotion regulation and maladaptive schemas. According to the SEM analysis findings, the findings regarding the relationship between attachment dimensions, maladaptive schemas and difficulty in emotion regulation showed that anxious attachment trait explained difficulty in emotion regulation at a significant level through the partial mediation of early maladaptive schemas. According to the research results, vividness and emotional intensity attachment dimensions are not autobiographical memory features related to emotion regulation and maladaptive schemas. ((χ2 /df = 3.186, p <.001; CFI = .95; NFI = .93; TLI = .94; SRMR = .047; RMSEA = .066; AIC = 296.579; ECVI = 0.59).On the other hand, the increase in anxious attachment characteristics of individuals partially explains the difficulty in emotion regulation through maladaptive schemas. The findings of the study were discussed within the framework of the literature and suggestions were made. Keywords: Attachment, Autobiographical Memory, Difficulty in Emotion Regulation, Schemas