Parent–Emerging‐Adult‐Child Attachment and Overparenting

• Published in: Family relations 2021-07, Vol.70 (3), p.859-865
• Main Authors: Jiao, Jian, Segrin, Chris
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: attachment anxiety; attachment avoidance; Child development; child traits effect; overparenting; Parent and child; Parenting; parent–child relationship
• ISSN: 0197-6664; 1741-3729
• DOI: 10.1111/fare.12473

Objective To examine the relationship between parent–child attachment and overparenting during emerging adulthood. Background Overparenting, a form of developmentally inappropriate parenting that features parental over‐involvement and autonomy‐constraining behavior, has been found to relate to a variety of negative child outcomes; however, there is currently a great need for research that attempts to explain why parents engage in overparenting. Method Cross‐sectional data were collected from 213 parent–emerging‐adult‐child dyads. Parents completed questionnaires assessing attachment toward their child and overparenting. Emerging‐adult children completed questionnaires assessing attachment toward their parent. Results Multiple regression results showed parents' attachment anxiety with their children positively predicted overparenting, and parents' attachment avoidance negatively predicted overparenting. Additionally, a positive association was observed between children's attachment avoidance with their parents and overparenting. Conclusion Overall, the results show that parents were practicing overparenting largely as a function of their own attachment needs rather than their child's attachment characteristics. Implications The results indicate that those who engage in overparenting may in fact be regulating their own affect as opposed to considering their emerging‐adult child's developmental needs.