PERCEIVED PARENTAL AUTONOMY SUPPORT, EMOTION REGULATION DIFFICULTIES, AND DYSFUNCTIONAL ATTITUDES IN PAKISTANI YOUNG ADULTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the correlation between perceived parental autonomy support (PAS), emotion regulation difficulties (ERD) and dysfunctional attitudes (DA) in young adults of Lahore, Pakistan. From an initial recruitment of (N = 201), 16 participants were excluded due to incomplete data, resulting in a final sample of (N = 185; n = 96 males, n = 89 females) aged 18–25 years. Participants filled out Urdu translated versions of Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale (PPASS), Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). The study investigated the "autonomy paradox" in a collectivist culture where autonomy support is juxtaposed with traditional family hierarchy and the concept of "izzat" (honor). Results showed that maternal and paternal autonomy support were significantly and negatively related to total ERD, and the final hierarchical model explained 42% of the variance (R² = .42). Preliminary evidence of the autonomy paradox was found in a small but significant positive correlation (r = .15) between maternal autonomy support and dysfunctional attitudes. The results of the mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between total PAS and DA was fully mediated by ERD (indirect effect = .539, 95% CI [.171, .897]), suggesting that the autonomy paradox works through emotion regulation pathways. There were significant gender differences as males had higher father-specific autonomy support and higher overall emotional regulation difficulties and females had higher dysfunctional attitudes. Results from psychometric analysis showed that the lack of emotional awareness (α = .62) and adaptive attitude (α = .65) subscales were marginally reliable and more culturally refined measurement tools are needed. The results indicate the intricate relationship between parenting, emotion regulation, and cognitive schemas in Pakistani young adults.