The Predictive Role of the Parenting Styles That Cause Early Maladaptive Schemas on Divorce Indicators

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the parenting styles that cause early maladaptive schemas and divorce indicators of married and divorce people. While parenting styles are based on schema therapy, divorce predictors are based on the Gottman approach to couples therapy. Data have been obtained from 600 participants (316 male, 284 female) from 51 out of the 81 cities in Turkey. Of all the participants, 511 (85.3%) are married while 89 (14.7%) are divorced. Parenting styles have been measure using the Young Parenting Inventory, and divorce indicators have been measured using the Divorce Predictors Scale. The data were analyzed with SPSS 22.0. Correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses have been used to examine the research questions. The correlation analysis shows divorce indicators to be significantly associated with all parenting styles from both mothers and fathers. According to the results from the hierarchical multiple regression analysis, however, overly permissive/boundary-less, normative, emotionally depriving, and punitive parenting styles from both mothers and fathers significantly predict divorce indicators. The analyses have also revealed punitive and overly permissive/boundary-less parenting styles to be suppressor variables. The findings indicate that overly permissive/boundary-less, normative, emotionally depriving, and punitive parenting styles significantly predict divorce indicators. These findings show that parents should be neither too dominant nor too permissive while raising children and should enforce boundaries with their children for the children's adjustment to marriage in the future.