Childhood parental bonding affects adulthood trait anxiety through self-esteem

Akiyoshi Shimura; Yoshikazu Takaesu; Yukiei Nakai; Akiko Murakoshi; Yasuyuki Ono; Yasunori Matsumoto; Ichiro Kusumi; Takeshi Inoue

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.12.005

Childhood parental bonding affects adulthood trait anxiety through self-esteem

Compr Psychiatry. 2017 Apr:74:15-20. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.12.005. Epub 2016 Dec 27.

Authors

Akiyoshi Shimura¹, Yoshikazu Takaesu², Yukiei Nakai³, Akiko Murakoshi⁴, Yasuyuki Ono⁴, Yasunori Matsumoto⁴, Ichiro Kusumi³, Takeshi Inoue⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan; Tobu Chuo Hospital, 28-1 Honcho, Wakou-shi, Saitama 351-0114, Japan.
² Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan. Electronic address: esu-yosh@tokyo-med.ac.jp.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15, West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Hokkaido, Japan.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan.

PMID: 28086151
DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.12.005

Abstract

Introduction: The association between trait anxiety and parental bonding has been suggested. However, the mechanism remains uncertain and there is no study focused on general adult population. We investigated the association and the mechanism between childhood parental bonding and adulthood trait anxiety in the general adult population.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional retrospective survey was conducted in 2014 with 853 adult volunteers from the general population. The Parental Bonding Instrument, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y) were self-administered. Structural equation modelling was used for the analysis.

Results: Childhood parental bonding affected adulthood trait anxiety indirectly mediated by self-esteem. Trait anxiety was decreased by parental care and increased by parental overprotection through self-esteem. This model explained 51.1% of the variability in STAI-Y trait anxiety scores.

Conclusions: This study suggests an important role of self-esteem as a mediator between childhood parental bonding and adulthood trait anxiety.

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety / psychology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Object Attachment*
Parents / psychology*
Personality Inventory
Retrospective Studies
Self Concept*
Young Adult