Parental attitudes of fathers and daughters’ self-esteem and stress management style in the period of early adulthood

Abstract

The article addresses the issues of parental attitudes of fathers, as assessed in retrospect by their daughters, currently in the period of early adulthood, in the context of the women’s self-esteem and stress management style. The aim of the research was to examine to what extent parental attitudes of fathers are correlated with the self-esteem of their adult daughters and the way in which they cope with difficult and stressful situations. It was assumed that fathers’ attitudes related to autonomy and acceptance are positively correlated with a higher level of overall self-esteem and all its components, as well as with a more effective, task-based stress management style. On the other hand, negative attitudes, including rejection, over-protective, excessively demanding attitude and inconsistency, were assumed to be correlated with a lower level of overall self-esteem and all its components, as well as less effective, emotional and avoidance-based coping style in stressful situations. The study group comprised 100 women in their early adulthood.