Soundhariya Pandisaravanan and Vigraanth Bapu KG
Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru
Pages:144-151
This study investigates the enduring impact of parent-child interactions on adult wellbeing and relationship satisfaction. Parent-child interactions are crucial for human
development, shaping social, cognitive, and emotional trajectories. The study explores
how recollections of these interactions influence psychological well-being and relationship
satisfaction in adulthood. Drawing on attachment theory and existing literature, it
examines the role of parental warmth, affection, and even aggression in shaping adult
expectations and behaviors in relationships. The research employed a descriptive
design, utilizing self-report questionnaires, including the Parental Bonding Instrument,
psychological well-being scale, and relationship satisfaction scale. The study focuses
on young adults aged 18 to 25, addressing a research gap in the Indian population. The
study findings align with existing literature, highlighting the negative impact of recalling
parent-child interactions on psychological well-being. However, contrary to previous
evidence, no significant difference was found between parental bonding and relationship
satisfaction. Maternal affectionate constraint and affectionless control parenting were
identified as affecting positive relations in psychological well-being. Significant differences
were observed in various parenting styles, with individuals experiencing optimal parenting
showing higher scores in positive relations and environmental mastery compared to
those with neglectful parenting. Future studies could employ longitudinal designs to
explore the dynamic nature of the relationship between recollections of parent-child
interactions and relationship satisfaction and psychological well-being