Perceived parental rearing behaviours and temperament and character in healthy adults

Abstract

In a study of 132 healthy individuals, the relationships between Temperament and Character traits (assessed by the TCI, Temperament and Character Inventory) on the one hand and perceived parental rearing (assessed by EMBU, Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran—My memories of Upbringing) on the other hand, were studied. The temperament dimensions of harm avoidance and reward dependence and the character dimension of self-directedness yielded the most frequent and highest correlations with the factors rejection, emotional warmth and overprotection. In particular rejecting rearing behaviour and lack of emotional warmth of both parents during childhood, seemed to constitute a risk factor for development of high harm avoidant behaviour (anticipatory worry, fear of uncertainty, shyness) and low self-directed behaviour (blaming others, unable to set goals and values, helplessness, lack of self-acceptance and low self-esteem). It was further found that parental emotional warmth contributed highly to the development of social sensitivity and attachment (Reward Dependence, RD) and was more pronounced in female than in male subjects.