Perceived Parent Adult Relationship and Prosocial Behaviors in Young Adults: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties

The current study used a correlational design and aimed to examine the link among perceived parent–adult relationships, prosocial behaviors, and the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in young adults. The sample consisted of 470 students from a public-sector university, aged 18 to 25 years. Participants completed the Parent-Adult-Child Relationship Questionnaire (PACQ), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–Short Form (DERS-SF), and the Prosocialness Scale for Adults (PSA). Later, data were analyzed using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4). The analysis revealed that the relationship between parent–adult interactions and prosocial behavior was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulation. These findings align with collectivist cultural values in Pakistan, which emphasize interdependence, family dynamics, emotion regulation, and behavioral outcomes. The study offers implications for emotional-skills interventions and parenting practices among youth in similar cultural contexts.