Memories of childhood parenting styles and their association with anxiety in adulthood

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7213/psicolargum.44.124.AO10

Abstract

Parenting styles have a significant impact on children's mental health, especially in the development of anxiety symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between parenting styles recalled from childhood and adolescence and the manifestation of anxiety traits in adulthood. It is a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study. To analyze participants' relationships and interactions with their parents throughout childhood and adolescence, the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (EMBU) scale was used, assessing the dimensions of Rejection, Emotional Warmth, and Overprotection. To assess the prevalence of anxiety traits, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) was applied. The study included 362 young adults, and the correlation between the questionnaires was calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results indicated a negative correlation between Emotional Warmth and anxiety traits (r = -0.414; p < 0.01), suggesting that a secure and supportive family environment, characterized by affection and responsiveness, is associated with lower levels of anxiety in adulthood. Conversely, a positive correlation was found between Rejection (r = 0.423; p < 0.01) and Overprotection (r = 0.282; p < 0.01) with anxiety traits, indicating that less supportive or overly controlling parenting practices are related to higher levels of anxiety in adulthood.

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Published

2026-03-30

How to Cite

Fontelles, M., de Oliveira Deziderio, S., & Louise Caro Schulz, M. J. (2026). Memories of childhood parenting styles and their association with anxiety in adulthood. Psicologia Argumento, 44(124), 1501–1519. https://doi.org/10.7213/psicolargum.44.124.AO10