The role of triangulation, differentiation of self, and emotion regulation in the relationship between parental emotion regulation and family perceptions of adolescents' psychological symptoms

This study examined how parental emotion regulation difficulties contribute to dysfunctional family dynamics and adolescent psychological outcomes within a systemic framework. Specifically, it investigated whether family triangulation mediates the relationship between parental emotional functioning and adolescents' differentiation of self, emotion regulation difficulties, and psychological symptoms. It also explored how triangulation patterns shape discrepancies between adolescents', mothers', and fathers' symptom reports and perceived psychological support needs. Adolescents and their parents participated in the study. Adolescents completed the Triangular Relationship Inventory with additional triangulation items, the Differentiation of Self Inventory, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, while mothers and fathers completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling, hierarchical regression, and cluster analysis were used to capture both individual and family-level processes. Findings supported the hypothesized systemic pathways: parental emotion regulation difficulties were associated with higher levels of triangulation, which undermined adolescents' self-differentiation and increased emotion regulation difficulties, leading to elevated symptom levels. Regression analyses showed that triangulation patterns contributed to perceptual gaps between adolescents and their parents regarding internalizing symptoms, whereas mother–father discrepancies were minimal. Cluster analyses revealed that families with higher triangulation levels were more likely to have adolescents reporting elevated psychological support needs, even when parents did not recognize such needs. These findings underscore the dual role of triangulation in both generating adolescent distress and distorting parental awareness, emphasizing the importance of multi-informant assessments and family-based interventions targeting disrupted family dynamics such as triangulation.