Retrospective assessment of fathers’ parental attitudes and attachment styles among young adult women in Poland and Ukraine

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the connection between retrospective assessment of fathers’ parental attitudes and attachment styles in close relationships of young adult women in Poland and Ukraine. Respondents completed Parental Attitudes Retrospective Assessment Questionnaire and Attachment Styles Questionnaire, both by Mieczyslaw Plopa. The study involved 116 women in Poland and 116 women in Ukraine. The results showed that women in Poland, were attached securely in their close relationships more often, when their fathers were accepting and autonomy-giving, and less overdemanding and inconsistent. Inconsistency, overdemandingness and lack of acceptance and autonomy of a father, conduced anxious-ambivalent attachment among their daughters. Avoidant attachment more often described women, whose fathers were inconsistent, rejecting and were not giving autonomy. Women in Ukraine were attached securely in their close relationships more often when their fathers were accepting, autonomy-giving, and overprotecting. Inconsistency of a father conduced anxious-ambivalent attachment among their daughters. Avoidant attachment more often described women, whose fathers were inconsistent and rejecting. The secure attachment style characterized more often women in Poland, and the avoidant one was manifested more frequently by women in Ukraine. Higher level of overprotection parental attitude was noticeable among women in Ukraine. The value of the studies undertaken, can be noticeable especially in the matters of developing conscious fatherhood in the contemporary family and among others in the functioning of partners in multi-ethnic relationships.