The Relationship Between Maternal Attachment Style and Children's Internalizing and Externalizing Disorders: The Mediating Role of Children's Emotion Socialization

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master of Clinical Family Psychology, Department of Psychology, Humanities Faculty, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor Faculty of Psychology, Science and Culture university, Tehran, Iran.

10.48308/apsy.2025.240222.1837

Abstract

Aim: This study examined the mediating role of children's emotion socialization in the relationship between maternal attachment and children's internalizing and externalizing disorders.
Method: A descriptive-correlational design was employed with a sample of 211 mothers of children aged 6 to 10 years in Tehran, selected via convenience sampling. Data collection instruments included the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991), the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale (Fabes, Poulin, Eisenberg, & Madden-Derdich, 1990), and the Experiences in Close Relationships–Relationship Structures questionnaire (Fraley, Waller & Brennan, 2001). Data were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation and path analysis via SPSS-27 and Amos-26.
Results: Maternal avoidance and anxious attachment showed significant positive correlations with internalizing and externalizing disorders (p < 0.05). There were significant negative correlations between maternal avoidant/anxious attachment and emotion socialization (p < 0.001).Eemotion socialization had significant correlations with internalizing and externalizing disorders (p < 0.001Furthermore, emotion socialization played a mediating role in the relationship between maternal attachment and internalizing/externalizing disorders (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results underscore the critical role of maternal attachment and emotion socialization in shaping children's emotional and behavioral problems. These findings highlight the importance of interventions aimed at enhancing parental attachment security and emotion socialization skills to mitigate internalizing and externalizing problems in children.

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Main Subjects

References

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