Dysfunctional parenting and emotional problems and substance misuse: Enhancing psychological flexibility in college students.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the mediating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between dysfunctional parenting (i.e., dysfunctional parent modes) and emotional problems and substance misuse among Turkish college students. Participants were 466 undergraduate students (69% female) aged between 18 and 45 years ( M  = 21.46, SD  = 3.31) from a public university in Turkey. The majority of participants in the study reported never or infrequent use of tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drugs, with daily or almost daily use reported by less than a quarter of the sample for each substance. Results showed that higher levels of dysfunctional parent modes were associated with increased emotional problems and substance misuse. Moreover, psychological flexibility mediated the relationship between dysfunctional parent modes and emotional problems, as well as both mediated and moderated the relationship between dysfunctional parent modes and substance misuse. Results from the study also showed that people in the at-risk group for substance misuse reported higher levels of dysfunctional parent modes and emotional problems, as well as lower levels of psychological flexibility than the typical group. These results suggest that psychological flexibility may play a significant role in the link between dysfunctional parent modes and emotional problems and substance misuse among Turkish college students. Future research should investigate whether interventions targeting psychological flexibility could be effective in reducing emotional problems and substance misuse among students with dysfunctional parent modes.