The Study of Triangulation Forms and Their Relationship with Parenting Styles among Families in Yazd

Introduction: The family provides the first seed of human development and personality development. The child learns ethical principles and social relationships with others in the family. So it is important to know what relationships are in the parents’ family and how they raise their children. The main purpose of this study was to investigate triangulation forms and their relationship with parenting styles among families in Yazd.  Methods: The statistical population of this study was all families with children in Yazd. The sample consisted of three hundred eighty-four people who were selected by cluster random sampling from three regions of Yazd. The instruments used in this study were the Bamrind parenting styles questionnaire and the triangulation questionnaire. Statistical descriptive methods were used for data analysis and Pearson correlation, independent t-test, and stepwise regression were used to test the research hypotheses.  Results: The results showed that triangulation in families in Yazd is below average. Triangle shapes also predicted the authoritarian style of parenting. Other results showed that the forms of triangulation were not significantly different in terms of the number of children, type of marriage, marriage history, the field of study, type of job, and type of marriage, but differed by degree.  Conclusions: The more affection and intimacy between parents and family members, the fewer families use triangulation and the greater their tendency to love and interact. And as parenting styles move toward authoritarianism, the amount of triangulation in families increases. Finally, considering the pivotal role of young parents and couples in how to interact with their children, it is suggested that adequate education and awareness on effective and desirable educational methods and the positive and negative consequences of using parenting styles be given.