An individual’s childhood is greatly affected by the parenting style that he or she grew up with. Whether you grew up with lenient parents or strict ones, the way your parents interacted with you has great effects that can linger into late adulthood, according to a study by British researchers.
A lifelong study by University College London (UCL) tracked 5,362 people born in 1946 from the moment they were born, about 2,800 of which are currently still under active follow-up. Their mental health was assessed from the ages of 13 to 64. Participants were asked to complete a 25-question survey, which consisted of different sections dedicated to three concepts of care: parental care/bonding, psychological control, and behavioral control. Statements like “appeared to understand my problems and worries”and “was affectionate to me” were used to measure parental care. Statements like “tried to control everything I did” and “tried to make me feel dependent on her/him” were used to assess psychological control, and “gave me as much freedom as I wanted” and “let me go out as much as I wanted” were used to assess behavioral control. Participants were also asked to look back on how they remembered their parents’ attitudes and behaviors before they were 16 years old. All of this reveals the emotional attachment, or the kind of relationship, that the participants had with their parents.
Image Source: Martin Novak
The study found that participants who had a secure emotional attachment with their parents—something that often led into their adulthood—were more likely able to form secure attachments as adults. Dr. Mai Stafford from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health & Ageing at UCL says that participants who had parents who showed warmth and responsiveness generally “had higher life satisfaction and better mental well-being” throughout all stages of adulthood. In contrast, psychological control has a correlation with lower life satisfaction and mental condition. Some examples of psychological control include not allowing children to make their own decisions and forcing them to become dependent on the parent.
Parents leave significant effects on their children, especially their mental health. These effects do not only affect a single, certain generation—all future generations are affected as well. For this reason, it is important for parents to leave a good impact on their children.
Feature Image Source: Family by Kat Grigg
