Recalled Parenting Practices and Psychological Distress in Turkish Emerging Adults: The Role of Self-Criticism

Abstract

Research investigating the development of psychological problems among children has typically focused on the role of parenting practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the direct effects of recalled parenting practices (emotional warmth, rejection, and overprotection) on psychological distress and indirect effects through self-criticism. Participants were 410 undergraduate students (290 females and 120 males) with a mean age of 20.10 ( SD = 1.65). Participants completed the measure of My Memories of Upbringing—Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostra; Forms of Self Criticizing/Attacking and Self Reassuring Scale; and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale as self-report measures. Results provided evidence for highly similar patterns of associations among parenting practices, self-criticism, and psychological distress for both maternal and paternal models. Findings showed that parental emotional warmth and rejection were directly related to self-criticism and were indirectly related to psychological distress through self-criticism. Only maternal rejection was directly related to psychological distress. However, maternal and paternal overprotection was not related to psychological distress either directly or indirectly. Moreover, maternal and paternal parenting practices explained 61% and 58% of the variance in psychological distress, respectively. The findings of the present study highlighted the importance of self-criticism and past memories of parenting as intervention targets to support well-being of young people.