The Relationship Between Perceived Parental Attitude and Life Satisfaction Among University Students

Abstract

Introduction. The effect of parental attitudes and behaviors in raising their children on the individual’s life has been the subject of numerous studies for many years. There is a strong correlation between parental attitudes and the child’s ability to be satisfied with life. The objective of the research was to determine the relationships between perceived parental attitudes (overprotection, rejection, emotional warmth) and life satisfaction among university students. We investigated whether parental attitudes play a role in predicting life satisfaction among university students, and what role they play. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted from June 2020 to September 2020. Data were collected using Google Forms. Each person consented to anonymously participate in the study and was informed about the objectives of the study being a descriptive one. The population of the study consisted of nursing students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences. For this purpose, 220 students at the age of 20 to 30 years participated in the study. The assessment battery consisted of Student Demographic Form, the Short-Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (Own Memories of Upbringing), and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Results. There was a significant negative correlation between maternal rejection and life satisfaction among the students. Male students were more likely to perceive their fathers as being disapproving than female students did. These findings were discussed in line with the studies in the related literature. Conclusions. High life satisfaction is a variable that protects young people from risk factors. Therefore, a focus should be placed on increasing life satisfaction among students. Parental attitude is an effective factor for life satisfaction among students. For this reason, it can be said that it would be beneficial to inform families about appropriate parental attitudes to increase their children’s life satisfaction.