Fathers in the Dorm Room: The Unique Influence of Fathers and Mothers on Young Adult Functioning

Abstract

A sample of college students (N = 129; mean age = 19 years) at a small, religious university in the Pacific Northwest completed questionnaires assessing parental acceptance and rejection, depression, coping, and social experiences. Depression was positively related to perceived father acceptance and inversely related to his rejection, but not to either mother variables. Interestingly, only fathers’ acceptance was inversely related to depression for daughters, whereas only mothers’ acceptance was similarly related to sons’ depression. Mothers’ acceptance was positively related to perceived social support from significant others, whereas fathers’ acceptance and rejection—but not mothers’—were positively and inversely related, respectively, to social experiences with friends. Results highlight distinct associations between father- versus mother-child relationships and young adult socio-emotional outcomes.