The Predictive Effect of Parental Adult Attachment on Parent-Adolescent Attachment: The Mediating Role of Harsh Parenting.

Mengge Li,Wei Wang,Anran Kong,Wanghua Ji,Huoliang Gong,Xin Chen,Shifeng Liang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710167

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between parental adult attachment and parent–adolescent attachment and investigates the mediating role of harsh parenting from the perspective of family systems theory. The sample included adolescents and their parents from 1,030 families in Henan Province, China. Measures included the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment Scale, and Harsh Parenting Scale. The results showed that paternal avoidance negatively predicts father–adolescent and mother–adolescent attachments, while maternal avoidance and maternal anxiety negatively predict father–adolescent attachment and mother–adolescent attachment, respectively. Paternal harsh parenting not only mediated the relationship between paternal adult and father–adolescent attachment but also between paternal adult and mother–adolescent attachment. However, maternal harsh parenting only plays an intermediary role between maternal adult and mother–adolescent attachment. The results of the study show that compared with the adverse effects of maternal adult attachment and maternal harsh parenting on parent–adolescent attachment, paternal avoidance and paternal harsh parenting more negatively affect parent–adolescent attachment, which is not conducive to familial harmony.

Highlights

IntroductionBecause adolescent psychology remains relatively immature, adolescents exhibit the paradoxical characteristics of wanting autonomy and depending on their parents
Independence and autonomy gradually develop during adolescence
Adolescent age was negatively related to paternal adult anxiety and paternal harsh parenting

Summary

Introduction

Because adolescent psychology remains relatively immature, adolescents exhibit the paradoxical characteristics of wanting autonomy and depending on their parents This contradiction makes parent–adolescent attachment, that is, the stable, lasting, and deep emotional bond formed between adolescents and their parents (Ainsworth and Bowlby, 1991), complicated and difficult to grasp (Armsden and Greenberg, 1987; Steinberg and Morris, 2001). Jones and Cassidy (2014) explored the relationship between the parent’s experiences with a secure base and the adolescent’s own experiences of a secure base; this study separately explored father–adolescent and mother–adolescent relationships instead of combining them into one model This composition is problematic because it forgets family systems theory’s recognition that father–mother interactions affect parent–adolescent attachment (Weeland et al, 2021), which is discussed in more detail in section Parent Adult Attachment Style and Parent–Adolescent Attachment

Results

Discussion

Conclusion