Emotion regulation in minority and majority families in Türkiye: A qualitative investigation

This qualitative study explored emotion regulation strategies among children and adolescents (aged between 10–18 years) from ethnic and religious minority and majority groups in Türkiye, their mothers’ emotion socialization practices, and the influence of cultural factors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online with 45 mothers from Armenian-Christian (ethnic-religious minority), Turkish-Alevi (religious minority), and Turkish-Sunni (ethnic-religious majority) families. Thematic content analysis revealed distraction, suppression, and seeking social support as the most prevalent emotion regulation strategies. Youth from the minority groups were reported to show more reliance on suppression, potentially linked to cultural expectations emphasizing emotional containment. Mothers’ emotion socialization practices varied across groups, with Sunni mothers more frequently using emotion coaching, problem-solving, and physical affection than the minority groups. Alevi mothers showed a greater tendency toward suppression, reflecting their own formative experiences of emotional dismissal. The minority mothers more frequently reported emotional suppression in their own childhood and adolescence, while Sunni mothers exhibited less suppression and experienced greater emotional responsiveness and coaching practices from their own parents in the past. These results underscore the critical interplay of cultural, religious, and familial influences on emotion regulation development, emphasizing the importance of culturally sensitive interventions to support emotional well-being in diverse communities.