The Effects of Childhood Maternal Attachment on the Parenting Behavior of Mothers with Preschoolers: The Mediating Effects of Adult Attachment and Marital Satisfaction

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the mediating effects of adult attachment and marital satisfaction on the relationship between childhood maternal attachment and parenting behavior. A total of 372 mothers of preschoolers completed questionnaires on childhood maternal attachment, adult attachment, marital satisfaction, and parenting behavior. Adult attachment was analyzed by distinguishing between attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Parenting behavior was categorized into positive and negative behaviors. For the main analyses, Preacher and Hayes’s PROCESS macro program was used to examine serial mediating effects. The results revealed that attachment anxiety mediated the effects of mothers’ childhood attachment experiences on both positive and negative parenting behavior. However, attachment avoidance only mediated the effects on positive parenting behavior. Marital satisfaction mediated the effects of mothers’ childhood attachment experiences on both positive and negative parenting behavior. Notably, the sequential mediating effects of attachment anxiety and marital satisfaction were not significant for either positive or negative parenting behavior. By contrast, the sequential mediating effects of attachment avoidance and marital satisfaction were significant for both positive and negative parenting behavior. These findings elucidate the predictive factors for parenting behavior within a process model framework, providing valuable insights for parental education and counseling aimed at enhancing mothers' parenting practices.