# The mediating role of cognitive schemas in the relationship between parenting styles and suicidal ideation in adolescents: a structural equation modeling approach

## TL;DR

This study shows how parenting styles affect adolescents' suicidal thoughts through cognitive patterns, with authoritative parenting being protective.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific cognitive schemas mediating the impact of parenting styles on suicidal ideation in adolescents.

## Key findings

- Authoritarian and permissive parenting increase suicidal ideation via maladaptive schemas like disconnection/rejection and impaired autonomy.
- Authoritative parenting reduces suicidal ideation by lowering disconnection/rejection schemas.
- Structural equation modeling confirmed direct and indirect effects of parenting styles on suicidal ideation through cognitive schemas.

## Abstract

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for effective prevention. Parenting styles influence early maladaptive cognitive schemas, which in turn may affect suicidal ideation during adolescence. This study investigated the mediating role of cognitive schemas in the relationship between parenting styles and suicidal ideation among students.

This cross-sectional study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) on data collected from 593 high school and college students aged 12–21 in Shiraz, Iran, during 2020–2021. Participants were recruited through stratified multi-stage random sampling. Sample size was determined based on SEM guidelines and power analysis. Data were gathered using the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, Young’s Schema Questionnaire, and Parental Authority Questionnaire. Analyses were conducted using SPSS 22 and MPLUS. SEM examined direct, indirect, and total effects of parenting styles on suicidal ideation via cognitive schemas.

Five models indicated that authoritarian parenting increased suicidal ideation through all early maladaptive schemas: disconnection/rejection (β = 0.184), impaired autonomy/performance (β = 0.115), other-directedness (β = 0.078), over-vigilance/inhibition (β = 0.052), and impaired limits (β = 0.107). Permissive parenting increased suicidal ideation through disconnection/rejection (β = 0.072), impaired autonomy/performance (β = 0.033), over-vigilance/inhibition (β = 0.030), and impaired limits (β = 0.055) schemas. In contrast, authoritative parenting showed a protective effect by reducing disconnection/rejection schema, thus lowering suicidal ideation (β = -0.055).

Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles increase suicidal ideation through maladaptive schemas, while authoritative parenting acts as a protective factor. These findings provide important insights for designing targeted interventions to reduce suicidal ideation among adolescents.