Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Emotional regulation has been linked to one’s ability to establish social relationships, as well as the onset of multiple psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depressive disorders. Researchers are beginning to better understand the development of emotional regulation; however, there is still debate surrounding what role familial factors play in this development. This study sought to better understand three factors that impact families: divorce, interparental conflict, and parenting styles. Specifically, this study hypothesized that participants whose parents are divorced and experienced high levels of interparental conflict would experience poor emotional regulation. Additionally, this study hypothesized that participants who perceive their parents as having an authoritative parenting style would have high emotional regulation. The results of this study did not support the idea that divorce or interparental conflict are associated with emotion regulation in young adulthood. However, further analyses found that two specific factors of interparental conflict, self-blame and threat, are correlated with emotion regulation. The results of this study also did not find a relationship between parenting styles and emotion regulation. This has implications for understanding what factors involved in divorce contribute to emotional disturbances in young adults.

Year manuscript completed

2021

Year degree awarded

2021

Author's Keywords

emotional regulation, divorce, conflict, parenting

Thesis Advisor

Amanda Joyce

Committee Chair

Amanda Joyce

Committee Member

Esther Malm

Committee Member

Laura Liljequist

Committee Member

Eric Umstead

Document Type

Thesis

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