Investigation of the relationship between psychological birth order, social interest and irrational beliefs of university students with cognitive emotion regulation

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships of psychological birth order, social interest and irrational beliefs with cognitive emotion regulation skills. The White-Campbell Psychological Birth Order Inventory, Social Interest Scale, Irrational Beliefs Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale and Personal Information Form were used to collect the data. The data of the study were obtained from 563 participants from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Education of Ege University within the 2015-2016 academic year and 64.1 % of the participants were female and 35.9 % were male. Data were analyzed with multiple linear regression analysis. As a result, it was found that there was a negative relationship among the younger child psychological birth order status with positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, putting into perspective of cognitive emotion regulation sub-dimensions. Moreover it was found that there was a positive relationship among younger child psychological birth order status with catastrophizing. However, there was no relationship within other psychological birth order sub-dimensions and cognitive emotion regulation skills. It was seen that was positive relationship among irrational beliefs with self-blame, acceptance, focus on thought, putting into perspective and catastrophizing. However, there was no relationship within irrational beliefs and positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal. It was found that there was a negative relationship within social interest and self-blame, blaming others and catastrophizing sub-dimensions of cognitive emotion regulation. It was seen that there was no relationship within social interest and sub-dimension that acceptence. Finally, it was observed that there was a positive relationship within social interest and sub-dimensions of cognitive emotion regulation that focus on thought, positive refocusing, refocus on planning, positive reappraisal and putting into perspective.