How Does the Mother-Child Bond Reflect in Adult Romantic Relationships?-An Indian Perspective

Abstract

Early attachment history with the attachment figure has been linked to the attachment style used in adulthood, especially in romantic relationships. The current study aimed to examine the role of parenting styles of mothers and mother-child attachment security in the development of attachment styles and how these attachment styles work as prototypes in adulthood impacting romantic relationships. The sample consisted of young Indian participants (n=156) with an equal number of males and females ranging from ages 18-25. An online survey form was distributed consisting of three tools- Parental Authority Questionnaire, on mothers (PAQ; Buri, 1991), Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised Questionnaire (ECR; Fraley, Waller & Brennan 2000), and Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA; Armsden and Greenberg, 1987). The results revealed a significant negative association between insecure attachment styles (anxious and avoidant) and both authoritative parenting style and mother-child attachment security and a significant positive correlation with authoritarian parenting style. The permissive parenting style was seen to have a significant negative correlation with the avoidant-attachment style. Furthermore, the stepwise regression analysis indicated that certain factors can predict insecure attachment styles. Gender differences are to some extent relevant to the Indian context. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future prospects have also been discussed.