Self-Coldness, Rather Than Self-Compassion, Mediates the Link between Parent–Child Emotional Enmeshment and Feelings of Inferiority
Mindfulness, vol.17, no.8, pp.2438-2449, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 17 Issue: 8
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1007/s12671-026-02857-z
- Journal Name: Mindfulness
- Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, Psycinfo
- Page Numbers: pp.2438-2449
- Keywords: Emotional enmeshment, Inferiority feelings, Parent–child relationships, Self-coldness, Self-compassion, Self-concept
- Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Objectives: This study examined whether self-compassion and self-coldness mediate the association between parent–child emotional enmeshment and feelings of inferiority. Emotional enmeshment—defined as a parent’s reliance on their child to meet their own unmet emotional and relational needs—can be conceptualized as a form of psychological maltreatment. Inferiority feelings, an Adlerian construct, capture maladaptive self-perceptions theorized to arise from dysfunctional parenting and adverse childhood experiences. While childhood maltreatment has consistently been linked to negative self-perceptions, the connection between emotional enmeshment and feelings of inferiority, as well as the role of self-regulatory processes in this relationship, remains underexplored. Method: A convenience sample of 381 adults (79.8% female; age range = 18–75 years) from the community voluntarily completed an online survey that included the Childhood Emotional Incest Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Inferiority Feelings Scale. Participants were required to be at least 18 years old and fluent in Turkish. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Parent–child emotional enmeshment was a significant predictor of feelings of inferiority. However, only self-coldness, not self-compassion, mediated this relationship, suggesting that emotional enmeshment is linked to heightened feelings of inferiority through self-critical processes. Sensitivity analysis excluding participants aged 60 and above, along with multi-group SEM analyses comparing early (18–29), mid (30–49), and later (50 +) adulthood, indicated that these associations were robust and invariant across age groups. Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence that self-coldness plays a stronger role than self-compassion in linking parent–child emotional enmeshment to feelings of inferiority. Although causal inferences are limited by the cross-sectional design, the results underscore the potential value of interventions to reduce self-critical tendencies among children exposed to emotional enmeshment, as well as preventive strategies that promote healthier parent–child boundaries. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.