Maternal Attachment and Cognitive Distortion of Muslim Adolescents in Juvenile Rehabilitation Residential Schools: Self-Regulation as Mediating Mechanism

Abstract

The increase in disorderly behaviors at the adolescent stage is a major dilemma for Malaysian society as the number of criminal cases committed by Muslim adolescents is increasing from time to time. These unwanted behaviors may be triggered by the quality of attachment relationships and errors in terms of the adolescent’s cognitive interpretation. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to explore the relationship between maternal attachment (i.e., secure and insecure) and cognitive distortion of Muslim adolescents in Juvenile Rehabilitation Residential schools mediated by self-regulation. Data from 440 Muslim adolescents (aged between 14 and 18) from the Juvenile Rehabilitation Residential schools in Malaysia were examined using the structural equation model (AMOS). The finding indicated a significant positive relationship between secure maternal attachment and self-regulation as well as the relationship between insecure maternal attachment and cognitive distortion, while, a significant negative relationship was found between self-regulation and cognitive distortion. Moreover, the indirect effect indicated that only relationship between secure maternal attachment and cognitive distortion was completely mediated by self-regulation. This study suggests that secure maternal attachment was associated with higher self-regulation, which, in turn, lowers cognitive distortion among Muslim adolescents. The results may facilitate improvements of mother-adolescent relationship and reduction of cognitive distortion among Muslim adolescents with the guidance of their self-regulation.