Investigating attachment styles and automatic thoughts on emotion regulation in early adolescence

Year 2026, Issue: 77, 86 - 101, 31.01.2026

Oznur Aydin Ümüt Arslan

https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.1825842

Abstract

This study examined the predictive roles of attachment styles and automatic thoughts in emotion regulation during early adolescence. Participants were 320 middle school students aged 10–14. Data were collected using the Attachment Styles Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale, and Emotion Regulation Scale. Pearson correlation analyses were used to assess relationships among variables, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify significant predictors of emotion regulation components. The results showed that secure attachment style positively predicted cognitive reappraisal, while anxious/ambivalent attachment positively predicted emotional suppression. Avoidant attachment was not a significant predictor of either reappraisal or suppression in this sample. Additionally, higher levels of negative automatic thoughts were associated with lower use of reappraisal and greater use of suppression. These findings highlight the importance of cognitive and relational factors in shaping emotion regulation during early adolescence.

Keywords

Emotion regulation , attachment styles , automatic thoughts , adolescence

Ethical Statement

Ethical authorization was obtained from the researchers’ university ethics board, followed by authorization from the Ethics Committee of the Provincial Directorate of National Education where the data were collected.

Erken ergenlik döneminde bağlanma stilleri ve otomatik düşüncelerin duygu düzenleme üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, erken ergenlik döneminde duygu düzenlemede bağlanma stilleri ve otomatik düşüncelerin yordayıcı rollerini incelemiştir. Katılımcılar 10–14 yaş aralığında 320 ortaokul öğrencisinden oluşmuştur. Veriler Bağlanma Stilleri Ölçeği, Otomatik Düşünceler Ölçeği ve Duygu Düzenleme Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkileri değerlendirmek için Pearson korelasyon analizleri uygulanmış ve duygu düzenleme bileşenlerinin anlamlı yordayıcılarını belirlemek amacıyla çoklu regresyon analizleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, güvenli bağlanmanın bilişsel yeniden değerlendirmeyi pozitif yönde yordadığını, kaygılı/kararsız bağlanmanın ise duygusal bastırmayı pozitif yönde yordadığını göstermiştir. Kaçıngan bağlanma, bu örneklemde yeniden değerlendirme ve bastırma için anlamlı bir yordayıcı olarak ortaya çıkmamıştır. Ayrıca, daha yüksek düzeyde olumsuz otomatik düşüncelerin daha düşük yeniden değerlendirme kullanımı ve daha yüksek bastırma ile ilişkili olduğu görülmüştür. Bu bulgular, erken ergenlik döneminde duygu düzenlemenin şekillenmesinde bilişsel ve ilişkisel faktörlerin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Duygu düzenleme , bağlanma stilleri , otomatik düşünceler , ergenlik

Ethical Statement

Araştırmanın etik izni, araştırmacıların bağlı olduğu üniversitenin etik kurulundan, ardından verilerin toplandığı İl Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü Etik Kurulundan alındı.

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