Parental Attachment and Peer Relationships in Adolescence: A Systematic Review

Abstract

According to attachment theory, children’s early experiences with their primary caregivers, in terms of protection and security, are the basis for socioemotional development and for the establishment of close relationships throughout their lives. During adolescence, friends and peers become a primary developmental environment, and thereby establishing quality bonds with peers will foster good psychological adjustment. The aim of the present study was to review the evidence on the relation of parental attachment to the quality of peer relationships during adolescence. A systematic review was conducted according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search was performed in the PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science (WOS) databases. Inclusion criteria were studies published since 2001, in English, that are academic publications in scientific journals, that explore adolescence, and that analyze the relationship between attachment styles and adolescent peer interactions. The search resulted in 1438 studies, of which 19 studies met the criteria and were included in the review. The results highlighted that secure attachment predicts and promotes the creation of affective relationships with peers and friends based on communication, support, intimacy, trust, and quality. In addition, some variables, such as gender differences or family characteristics, were found to be involved in attachment and provide a better understanding.

Are My Parents Psychopaths? How Dark Parenthood Impacts Descendants’ Mental Health and Self-Esteem

“…Such findings highlight once again the impact that the perception of this malevolent trait can have on others (e.g., Mathieu et al, 2014). These results align with aspects indicated by Bowlby's attachment theory, suggesting that relationships between parents and children are fundamental for positive socioemotional development (Delgado et al, 2022). Individuals with higher levels of dark traits are less emphatic, unapologetic, manipulative, and individualistic (Paulhus & Williams, 2002), and their traits negatively impact a range of interpersonal relationships (e.g., Carton & Egan, 2017;Volmer et al, 2016).…”

“…According to Bowlby's attachment theory, exploring such relationships is essential, as early experiences between parents and children are fundamental for the subsequent socioemotional development of their descendants (Delgado et al, 2022). Descendants who have responsive parents receive care, protection and affection, and tend to have higher levels of well-being, whereas those deprived of such care present insecure attachment, having more anxiety, depression and lower self-esteem (Clery et al, 2021;Lee & Hankin, 2009).…”

Attachment and School Completion: Understanding Young People Who Have Dropped Out of High School and Important Factors in Their Re-Enrollment

“…Accordingly, students with externalizing problems who are rejected by their teachers and their prosocial peers, seem particularly at risk of school dropout [ 55 , 58 , 59 ]. Parent–child attachment is a vital factor in the development of these co-agency processes and secure attachment has been found to promote active involvement in building effective relationships with peers and friends [ 60 ].…”

The impact of parenting styles on undergraduate students’ emotion regulation: The mediating role of academic-social student-faculty interaction

“…Firstly, the family relationship is closer under a warm parenting style so that individual's negative emotional experiences such as loneliness and sense of insecurity are significantly reduced (Balan et al, 2017). It is also easier to build trust with others with their more evident outgoing, pleasant and emotionally stable nature (Delgado et al, 2022). With a warm parenting style, parents also tend to provide more autonomy support, which is more conducive to fostering positive emotions of children (Froiland, 2015).…”