Parental warmth during childhood predicts coping and well-being in adulthood

Numerous studies have shown that early life experiences can affect well-being later in life. Additionally, previous literature has emphasized the importance of exploring the role of mediators in developmental research (e.g., coping strategies). The present study used 3 waves of longitudinal data across 20 years from the national survey Midlife Development in the United States (N = 2,088) to examine the link between retrospectively reported parental warmth and well-being in adulthood by exploring 2 categories of coping strategies (emotion- and problem-focused strategies) as possible mediators. Three cross-lagged panel models, exhibiting good fit, were conducted in Mplus. Significant indirect effects were found where both negative and positive affect (Time 2) partially mediated the association between perceived parental warmth (Time 1) and emotion-focused coping (Time 3). Further, evidence for bidirectional effects were shown by the observed significant indirect effects of problem-focused coping (Time 2) partially explaining the association between perceived parental warmth (Time 1) and eudaimonic well-being (Time 3) as well as eudaimonic well-being (Time 2) partially explaining the link between parental warmth (Time 1) and problem-focused coping (Time 3). These findings suggest that it is important to consider early life experiences when examining both well-being and coping during adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record