The Family-Couple-Parenting Questionnaire

This work describes the construction of family-couple-parenting (FCP) questionnaire, a new measure of three aspects related to the developmental path toward parenting choices, within the perspective of the family life cycle and attachment theory. Two studies are reported. Study 1 reports the development of the FCP questionnaire and its psychometric properties. Study 2 assesses the FCP’s nomological validity by investigating group differences on FCP factors and links between FCP factors and romantic attachment (experience in close relationships–revised) and recalled parental bonding (parental bonding instrument). Participants were 791 Italian participants: 405 young adults (203 students, 202 workers) and 193 couples (91 childless-by-choice, 102 parents-to-be). The results suggest that the FCP’s stable psychometric structure and strong theoretical basis make FCP a useful instrument for research related to the path to parenthood.

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Individual Differences in Romantic Attachment

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000347 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

April Bleske-Rechek ◽

Grace Nuck ◽

Michaela M. Gunseor

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Romantic Relationships ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Family Members ◽

Romantic Attachment ◽

Primary Sources ◽

The Family ◽

Attachment Dimensions ◽

Weak Similarity

Abstract. In the 1980s, psychologists extended attachment theory into the domain of adult romantic bonds by proposing that romantic love can be conceptualized as a process of becoming attached ( Hazan & Shaver, 1987 ). From this perspective, individuals differ in two primary attachment dimensions: anxiety, the extent to which they worry about abandonment in their romantic relationships, and avoidance, the extent to which they are uncomfortable with interdependence and closeness. Research suggests that people perceive the rearing environment as a primary cause of people’s romantic attachment styles ( Tillman et al., 2008 ). If it is, family members should be similar in attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. To test this idea, we collected romantic attachment data on 965 US college students and the family members they nominated (205 siblings, 245 mothers, and 182 fathers). The students and family members in our sample showed negligible-to-weak resemblance in attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. Because previous studies have shown substantial similarity between identical twins and weak similarity between fraternal twins in romantic attachment styles, our data reinforce the possibility that nonshared environmental influences (such as individuals’ specific relationship histories) and genetic influences are the primary sources of individual differences in attachment-related anxiety and avoidance.

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Incarcerated Adolescents' Distress and Suicidality in Relation to Parental Bonding Styles

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.20.4.164 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 164-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Elizabeth L McGarvey ◽

Ludmila A Kryzhanovskaya ◽

Cheryl Koopman ◽

Dennis Waite ◽

Randolph J Canterbury

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Attachment Theory ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Parental Bonding ◽

Psychosocial Problems ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Suicidal Thoughts ◽

Parental Bonding Instrument ◽

Significant Relationships ◽

Incarcerated Adolescents

This study examines the relationships between the bonding style of an incarcerated adolescent with parents and his/her current feelings of self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. It also investigates differences between bonding to mother and bonding to father. Some 296 incarcerated adolescents were interviewed using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Significant relationships were found between youths' self-esteem, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior and their bonding style. Youths whose parent(s) had a parental bonding style of affectionless control reported the greatest distress, and youths whose parent(s) had an optimal bonding style reported the least distress. Differences were found between bonding styles with the mother and with the father. Attachment theory may be useful in targeting incarcerated youths who have affectionless control bonding with parent(s) for special interventions since these youths are most at risk for psychosocial problems.

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