The mediating role of self-differentiation in the relationship between married individuals' family of origin functions and relationship self-regulation

Purpose: Throughout history, individuals have sought to establish and maintain close interpersonal relationships. Research suggests that relationship self-regulation, defined as the ability to manage and adapt one's behavior for the betterment of a relationship, is strongly associated with relationship satisfaction. Studies focusing on family-of-origin functioning indicate that individuals raised in healthy familial environments tend to employ more adaptive relationship self-regulation strategies in their marital lives. Those who experience supportive and functional interactions within their family of origin are more likely to develop autonomy and form new relationships based on their own values and perspectives. In other words, the dynamics of parental relationships can positively influence children's autonomy, differentiation of self, and their capacity to establish healthy interpersonal bonds. Research on differentiation of self and self-regulation further suggests that higher levels of differentiation are associated with enhanced self-regulation and self-control skills. However, a review of the existing literature reveals a gap in studies that simultaneously examine relationship self-regulation in relation to both differentiation of self and family-of-origin functioning. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether differentiation of self serves as a mediating factor in the relationship between family-of-origin functioning and relationship self-regulation in close relationships. Method: The study sample consisted of married individuals between the ages of 18 and 54 residing in the cities of Eskişehir and Istanbul. To assess participants' perceptions of family-of-origin functioning, the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) was employed. The Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI) was used to measure levels of self-differentiation, and the Behavioral Self-Regulation for Effective Relationships Scale (BSRERS) was utilized to evaluate relationship self-regulation. Data for this study were collected via Google Forms. To examine the construct validity of the FAD based on the current dataset, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted. The relationships among scores on the FAD, DSI, and BSRERS were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. Differences in the main variables across marital duration, education level and gender were examined using ANOVA and the Welch t-test. Additionally, a bootstrap analysis was conducted to test the mediating role of differentiation of self in the relationship between family-of-origin functioning and relationship self-regulation. Results: The findings indicated that differentiation of self-mediated the relationship between specific subdimensions of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (i.e., problem solving, communication, and roles) and relationship self-regulation. The study also examined whether participants' levels of family-of-origin functioning, differentiation of self, and relationship self-regulation significantly varied based on demographic variables. In terms of marital duration, individuals who had been married for 11–20 years demonstrated more functional communication than those who had been married for 21–30 years. Regarding educational level, participants with higher levels of education showed more functional scores in the domains of roles, emotional responsiveness, affective involvement, behavior control, and general functioning. Additionally, their relationship self-regulation skills were found to be higher. With respect to gender, men reported more functional levels in the domains of problem solving and communication and exhibited higher levels of differentiation of self compared to women. Conversely, women scored higher than men in the domain of affective involvement, reflecting a greater capacity for providing appropriate attention and care in relationships. Conclusion and Suggestions: Family of origin functioning affects relationship self-regulation in married individuals. It appears that differentiation of self plays a mediating role in this relationship. This study is expected to contribute to the literature, researchers, and practitioners.