The relations between parental marital conflict resolution styles, adolescent emotion regulation and adolescent conflict resolution behaviors

In this study, relations between parental marital conflict resolution styles, emotion regulation and conflict resolution behaviours of adolescents aged 11to14 were examined. Additionally, in the study was suggested the adolescent's emotion regulation would have a mediating role between parental marital conflict resolution styles and adolescent conflict resolution behaviours. The sample of study consists of 186 state secondary school students aged 11 to14 and their parents. In the study for parents, "Conflict Resolution Styles Scale", and for adolescents, "Determining the Conflict Resolution Behaviour Scale" and "Emotion Regulation Scale for Adolescents" are used in order to assess parental conflict resolution styles, emotion regulation and conflict resolution behaviours of adolescents. The findings show meaningful relations among some sub-dimensions of parental marital conflict resolution styles, emotion regulation and conflict resolution behaviours of adolescents. Negative conflict resolution style of the mother is associated with aggressive behaviours in adolescents while positive conflict resolution style of the mother is related to adolescent's problem-solving behaviour. At the same time, the father's subordination conflict resolution style has been shown to be associated with adolescent aggression. On the other hand, the internal functional emotion regulation and the external dysfunctional emotion regulation were found to have mediation effect on the relation between negative conflict resolution style of the mother and aggressive behaviours in adolescents. Likewise, it was shown that the internal dysfunctional emotion regulation has a partial mediation effect on the relation between the father's subordination conflict resolution style and aggressive behaviours in adolescents. The findings of the research were discussed in the framework of relevant literature. Key words: Conflict, Marital Conflict, Parental Marital Conflict Resolution Styles, Adolescent Conflict Resolution Behaviors, Emotion Regulation