Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Education and International Services

Program

Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.

First Advisor

Dennis Waite

Second Advisor

Bradly K. Hinman

Third Advisor

Jimmy Kijai

Abstract

Problem

The experience of the parental environment growing up, parental psychopathology in childhood, exposure to trauma throughout the lifespan, insecure adult attachment, and social support have been established as factors that influence mental health in adulthood. These factors have not yet been studied together as a complex model of emerging adult mental health and attachment. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretically and empirically supported model of these factors to understand how these factors interact to influence mental health in emerging adulthood. Additionally, the purpose was to understand if these factors interact differently based on gender.

Method

Survey data was collected from 411 emerging adults (ages 18-29) males and females, which measured their (a) parental environment growing up, (b) level of parental psychopathology seen in childhood, (c) perceptions of current social support, (d) level of insecure adult attachment, and (e) current mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress). Structural equation modeling was used to test an exploratory model that included the direct effects of these factors on mental health and the indirect effect of the parental environment, parental psychopathology, and trauma mediated through insecure adult attachment. A multigroup analysis was conducted to examine if the model operated equivalently between genders.

Results

As an exploratory study, the hypothesized model was revised for a good model fit for the data. Multicollinearity issues suggested the parent-related factors were better measured as one latent parental factor. The revised model revealed parental factors and trauma explained 40% of the variance of adult attachment and the total model accounted for 66% of the variance of mental health among emerging adults (p < .001). All direct and indirect effects were initially supported but the multigroup analysis revealed that the model did not operate equivalently between genders. Trauma had a notable influence on attachment and mental health, regardless of gender. Parental factors had a notable influence on mental health for both genders but did not influence female attachment. Parental factors also had a statistically stronger influence on male mental health. Attachment directly influenced mental health and partially mediated the influence of trauma on mental health, but only for females. Social support played a minor role in female mental health, but played no role for males.

Conclusions

The current study confirmed that past formative experiences and current relational experiences impact mental health in emerging adulthood. Experiences of trauma, conflict with parents growing up, and parental psychopathology in childhood have an especially strong influence on mental health in emerging adulthood. This study highlights that the relationships between these factors vary based on gender. These results inform research regarding emerging adult attachment and mental health, as well as having implications for best practices when treating emerging adults struggling with depression, anxiety, or stress. Results inform beneficial targets for intervention or screening when working with both male and female emerging adult clients. Additionally, results inform beneficial areas for clinicians to seek additional training and areas of focus for preventative psychoeducation.

Subject Area

Mental health; Adulthood; Parent and child

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