Psychological Separation and Adjustment to University: Moderating Effects of Gender, Age, and Perceived Parenting Style

Abstract

Examined in this article is the association between psychological separation and adjustment to university in a sample of 969 late adolescents. Structural equations modeling confirmed the existence of two dimensions of psychological separation, namely independence from parents and positive separation feelings. Results indicated that both dimensions of psychological separation positively predicted better adjustment to university, but that positive separation feelings clearly were the better predictor. None of these associations was moderated by students' grade level or gender or by their parents' perceived parenting style. In the total sample, independence from parents was associated with lower levels of positive separation feelings. This association was, however, moderated by students' grade, gender, and parents' perceived parenting style. The negative relationship between the two dimensions of psychological separation only held for freshmen and junior students, females, and students reared by authoritarian parents. Implications of these findings for current understanding of the separation-adjustment link and for counseling college students are discussed.