Satisfaction with early relationships with parents and psychosocial attributes in adulthood: Which parent contributes more?

The relationships between perceived satisfaction with early relationships with parents and adults' psychosocial attributes were addressed in this study. The participants were 928 medical students (37% women) who completed a set of personality questionnaires. The results indicated that perceived satisfaction with he mother in childhood was significantly associated with less intensity and chronicity of loneliness, less depression, less anxiety, a less negative view of stressful life events, higher self-esteem, and more satisfaction with peer relationships. No significant association was found between perceived satisfaction with the father and these personality measures. The results are discussed in the context of attachment theory and internal working models.