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Childhood parental bonding affects adulthood trait anxiety through self-esteem
Akiyoshi Shimura1, Yoshikazu Takaesu2, Yukiei Nakai3
1Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan; Tobu Chuo Hospital, 28-1 Honcho, Wakou-shi, Saitama 351-0114, Japan.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|January 14, 2017
Summary
Childhood parental bonding influences adult trait anxiety indirectly through self-esteem. Positive parental care lowered anxiety, while overprotection increased it, mediated by self-esteem levels.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parental bonding is linked to adult psychological outcomes.
- The mediating mechanisms between parental bonding and trait anxiety in adults are not fully understood.
- Previous research has not focused on the general adult population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between childhood parental bonding and adulthood trait anxiety.
- To explore the mediating role of self-esteem in this relationship within the general adult population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional retrospective survey of 853 adult volunteers.
- Utilized the Parental Bonding Instrument, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y).
- Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Childhood parental bonding indirectly affects adulthood trait anxiety, with self-esteem acting as a mediator.
- Higher parental care was associated with lower trait anxiety via increased self-esteem.
- Higher parental overprotection was associated with increased trait anxiety via decreased self-esteem.
- The proposed model accounted for 51.1% of the variance in trait anxiety.
Conclusions:
- Self-esteem plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between childhood parental bonding and adulthood trait anxiety.
- Understanding this pathway can inform interventions for managing trait anxiety in adults.
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