IMPACT OF CHILDHOOD PARENTIFICATION ON EMOTIONAL REGULATION DIFFICULTIES AND SELF-CONCEPT AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

Purpose_ This study aims to examine the extent to which childhood parentification predicts emotional regulation difficulties and shapes self-concept within a university student population.

Design/methodology/approach_ A quantitative design was used to analyze the study variables among 130 selected students (17 to 25) from universities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Standardized tools were used such as Parentification Inventory (PI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Robson Self-Concept Questionnaire (RSCQ). Data collection followed ethical guidelines, assuring informed consent. SPSS version 26 was used for statistical analyses, which includes regression analysis and independent sample t-test.

Findings_ Results indicated that childhood parentification is a positive predictor of both self-concept and emotional regulation difficulties, explaining 18.5% and 9.6% of the variance. Gender was not a significant predictor of self-concept in the regression model, nor were significant gender variations found in levels of parentification or emotional regulation difficulties. However, statistically significant gender differences emerged in self-concept, with female students reporting higher scores than their male counterparts, indicating a moderate and meaningful difference between groups.