A Study on the Relationship between Perceived Parenting Styles, Attachment, and Loneliness among Young Adults

Parenting style influences the emotional and social development of an individual through their attachment patterns as well as psychological outcomes, for example, loneliness. This study is about studying the links between parents’ perceived parenting styles, attachment patterns, and loneliness among young adults. Although a quantitative correlational study was used, the data were collected from 300 participants between 18 to 25 years old via an online survey using the Perceived Parenting Styles Scale (PPSS), the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ), and the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. The results show that authoritative parenting has a positive relation to secure attachment and a negative relation to loneliness. In contrast, insecure attachment patterns (anxious, avoidant, and disorganized) and high levels of loneliness tend to be greatly associated with authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles. In mediation analysis, it is further revealed that insecure attachment mediates the connection between authoritarian and neglectful parenting and loneliness. These results underscore the importance of early parental relationships in creating secure attachment and preventing loneliness in early adulthood. Longitudinal and cross-cultural perspectives can explore how parenting styles impact emotional well-being in future research.