The effects of perceived inter-parental relationship style and emotional availability to parents on self-perception and interpersonal relationship styles

People start to communicate from an early period of life, both by their nature and as a requirement of social life. Self perception stands out as one of the reasons for differences in interpersonal relationships that emerge with communication. Since self perception is changeable in every age and period and interpersonal relationships diversify within the framework of starting a job, mate selection and various social roles; this study undertakes to determine how the variables of parental emotional availability and perceived interparental relationship style affect individuals' self-perceptions and relationship styles during adulthood. In this context, 394 participants aged 18-65 were reached electronically via google forms. As data collection tools, the study uses a personal information form, a social comparison scale (SCA) to measure self perception, interpersonal relationship dimensions scale (IRDS) to measure interpersonal relationship styles, perceived parental relationship scale (PAES), and emotional accessibility scale (LEAP) to measure emotional accessibility to parents. Since distribution of the data was statistically normal, differences in the scores for self perception and interpersonal relationship styles in terms of demographic variables were analyzed using the T-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) while relationships between all variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the effects of parental emotional accessibility and inter-parental relationship styles on the self perception and interpersonal relationship styles. Findings of the study; demographic variables were found to demonstrate significant differences in the sub-dimensions of the scale of self perception and interpersonal relationship styles. Self perception predicts approval dependence from the sub-dimensions of interpersonal relationship styles scale negatively, and the sub-dimensions of empathy, trust in others, and emotional awareness positively. Father's emotional availability affects self perception prediction positively. In interpersonal relationship styles, it was found that maternal emotional accessibility affected approval dependence prediction negatively and emotional awareness prediction positively. It was found that the empathy sub-dimension prediction was affected positively by father's protective attitude while predictions of trust in others and emotional awareness sub-dimensions, were affected positively by mother's democratic attitude and negatively by father dependent/indifferent attitude. Conclusions of the study were discussed within the framework of the relevant body of literature and suggestions were made for future studies.