Presentation Title
Parental Rejection, Emotional Dysregulation, and Peer Attachment
Abstract
Research has consistently found a relationship between parental rejection and adult attachment (e.g., Joss, Lazar, & Teicher, 2020). Casselman and McKenzie (2014) found that mother and father rejection were negatively associated with adult attachment in a large sample of undergraduate students. Emotional dysregulation may be a salient variable for understanding this relationship. For example, Carlo, McGinley, Hayes, & Martinez (2011) found a negative association between emotional dysregulation and adult peer attachment in a college sample. Goldstein, Haller, Mackinnon, & Stewart (2019) found strong associations between anxious and avoidant attachment and emotional dysregulation in a sample of emerging adults. It is possible that parental rejection leads to emotional dysregulation, which then results in insecure adult peer attachment. The present study sought to extend the literature by examining emotional dysregulation as a mediating variable in the relationship between parental rejection and insecure peer attachment in a young adult sample.
Based on the literature, our hypotheses are: 1) mother and father rejection will predict insecure peer attachment; 2) emotional dysregulation will predict insecure peer attachment; and 3) emotional dysregulation will mediate the relationship between parental rejection and insecure peer attachment.
College
College of Liberal Arts
Department
Psychology
Location
Winona, MN
Breakout Room
27
Start Date
4-14-2021 2:00 PM
End Date
4-14-2021 2:45 PM
Presentation Type
Video (Live-Zoom)
Parental Rejection, Emotional Dysregulation, and Peer Attachment
Winona, MN
Research has consistently found a relationship between parental rejection and adult attachment (e.g., Joss, Lazar, & Teicher, 2020). Casselman and McKenzie (2014) found that mother and father rejection were negatively associated with adult attachment in a large sample of undergraduate students. Emotional dysregulation may be a salient variable for understanding this relationship. For example, Carlo, McGinley, Hayes, & Martinez (2011) found a negative association between emotional dysregulation and adult peer attachment in a college sample. Goldstein, Haller, Mackinnon, & Stewart (2019) found strong associations between anxious and avoidant attachment and emotional dysregulation in a sample of emerging adults. It is possible that parental rejection leads to emotional dysregulation, which then results in insecure adult peer attachment. The present study sought to extend the literature by examining emotional dysregulation as a mediating variable in the relationship between parental rejection and insecure peer attachment in a young adult sample.
Based on the literature, our hypotheses are: 1) mother and father rejection will predict insecure peer attachment; 2) emotional dysregulation will predict insecure peer attachment; and 3) emotional dysregulation will mediate the relationship between parental rejection and insecure peer attachment.
