Parental rearing style as a predictor of attachment and psychosocial adjustment during young adulthood

Abstract

Parental rearing styles are crucial for psychosocial adjustment both during childhood and adulthood. The current study examined whether (a) parental rearing styles predicted psychosocial adjustment in young adulthood, (b) this relationship was mediated by attachment styles, and (c) gender differences occur in these relationships. A total of 240 (103 male, 132 female, and 5 unknown) university students completed measures assessing parental rearing style, current attachment style, romantic relationship satisfaction, friendship quality, self-esteem, and social competence. Multigroup structural equation modelling, conducted separately by gender, revealed that parental rearing style predicted psychosocial adjustment during young adulthood. Furthermore, there was also evidence of gender differences and that self-models and other models of attachment mediated this relationship. Together, these findings reinforce the importance of perceived parental rearing style for subsequent psychosocial adjustment.