Parental Attachment Styles and Psychological Well-being in Gifted Adolescents: Insights from India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives: The present study aimed to understand the relationship between perceived parental attachment style and the well-being of gifted adolescents in India. Methods: A correlational research design was used to analyze the results of the study. Data were collected from 53 gifted adolescents (age: 13–17 years) using the purposive sampling method. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment - Revised (Gullone & Robinson, 2005) and Psychological Well-being of Adolescents scale (Kulkarni & Patwardhan, 2015) which is based on Ryff’s model of psychological well-being were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using Kendall’s Tau correlation. Results: The results indicate a significant positive correlation between perceived parental attachment and psychological well-being, specifically with respect to self-acceptance and personal growth in gifted adolescents. Conclusion: Findings suggest that perception of trust from parents, effective communication, and reduced sense of parental alienation are positively linked to self-acceptance and purpose of life in gifted adolescents. Parental trust correlates with the feeling of empowerment in gifted adolescents, impacting their willingness to explore new things and find innovative solutions to problems. Diminished feelings of parental alienation contribute to the personal growth in gifted adolescents and vice versa.