The role of emotion regulation difficulties in the relationship between sociotropic/autonomic personality traits and psychological symptoms in adults

This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological symptom levels, sociotropic/autonomic personality traits, and emotional regulation difficulties in adults. The study used the relational survey model, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the study consists of 350 volunteer participants, 275 women and 75 men over the age of 18, located throughout Turkey. 199 participants were included in the study through online and 151 participants were included through face-to-face data collection. The Demographic Information Form, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), Sociotropy and Autonomy Scale, and Emotion Regulation Difficulties Scale were presented to the participants. In line with the purpose of the study, firstly the relationship between the participants' psychological symptom levels and sociotropic/autonomic personality traits was examined and the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in this relationship was analyzed. According to the findings obtained as a result of the applied statistical analyses, the psychological symptom levels and sociotropy levels of women are higher than those of men and this difference is statistically significant. In terms of autonomy levels and emotion regulation difficulties total scores, no statistically significant difference was found between the genders. As a result of the correlation analysis, it was observed that there was a statistically significant weak and positive relationship between the psychological symptom levels of the participants and their sociotropy and autonomy levels. While a positive relationship was found between the participants' sociotropy levels and their emotion regulation difficulties levels, no statistically significant relationship was found between their autonomy levels and their emotion regulation difficulties levels. When the regression analysis results were examined, it was seen that sociotropy, autonomy and difficulty in emotion regulation positively predicted the level of psychological symptoms. Finally, according to the findings of the mediation analysis, it was concluded that difficulty in emotion regulation had a partial mediating role in the relationship between the level of sociotropy and the level of psychological symptoms. However, it was seen that difficulty in emotion regulation did not have a mediating effect in the relationship between the level of autonomy and the level of psychological symptoms. The research findings indicate the relationship between sociotropy and autonomy personality traits with psychological symptoms and difficulty in emotion regulation. More studies are needed on this subject in the literature. The limitations, strengths and suggestions for future studies are given at the end of the study. Keywords: Sociotropy, Autonomy, Psychological symptoms, Emotion regulation diffuculties.