Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries

Abstract Theoretically and empirically, parenting is closely related to the psychological health of offspring, but long-term effects and possible international differences are not well established. In a pre-registered multilevel modeling analysis using data from the Global Flourishing Study, we test...

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Main Authors: Jonathan T. Rothwell, Telli Davoodi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Communications Psychology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-024-00161-x
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author Jonathan T. Rothwell
Telli Davoodi
author_facet Jonathan T. Rothwell
Telli Davoodi
author_sort Jonathan T. Rothwell
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Theoretically and empirically, parenting is closely related to the psychological health of offspring, but long-term effects and possible international differences are not well established. In a pre-registered multilevel modeling analysis using data from the Global Flourishing Study, we tested whether retrospective parent-child relationship quality predicts adult well-being in a representative sample of 202,898 adults living in 21 countries and one territory. We developed and validated indexes of flourishing and mental health. Retrospective parent-child relationship quality predicted both with substantial effect sizes for flourishing (std mean effect = 0.21, 95% CI 0.19–0.23) and mental health (std mean effect = 0.18, 95% CI 0.17–0.20). A positive association between relationship quality and flourishing was found in all 22 areas (significant in 21). Parental religiosity positively predicted relationship quality (std mean effect = 0.09, 95% CI 0.06–0.11). In higher income and more secular countries, relationship quality was lower, but the well-being benefits were higher. Parental religiosity predicted higher relationship quality in every country in the sample.
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spelling doaj-art-e74bdd4882a6420a83af53945d2303f22025-08-20T02:22:16ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Psychology2731-91212024-11-012111610.1038/s44271-024-00161-xParent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countriesJonathan T. Rothwell0Telli Davoodi1GallupGallupAbstract Theoretically and empirically, parenting is closely related to the psychological health of offspring, but long-term effects and possible international differences are not well established. In a pre-registered multilevel modeling analysis using data from the Global Flourishing Study, we tested whether retrospective parent-child relationship quality predicts adult well-being in a representative sample of 202,898 adults living in 21 countries and one territory. We developed and validated indexes of flourishing and mental health. Retrospective parent-child relationship quality predicted both with substantial effect sizes for flourishing (std mean effect = 0.21, 95% CI 0.19–0.23) and mental health (std mean effect = 0.18, 95% CI 0.17–0.20). A positive association between relationship quality and flourishing was found in all 22 areas (significant in 21). Parental religiosity positively predicted relationship quality (std mean effect = 0.09, 95% CI 0.06–0.11). In higher income and more secular countries, relationship quality was lower, but the well-being benefits were higher. Parental religiosity predicted higher relationship quality in every country in the sample.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-024-00161-x
spellingShingle Jonathan T. Rothwell
Telli Davoodi
Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
Communications Psychology
title Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
title_full Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
title_fullStr Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
title_full_unstemmed Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
title_short Parent-child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well-being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
title_sort parent child relationship quality predicts higher subjective well being in adulthood across a diverse group of countries
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-024-00161-x
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AT tellidavoodi parentchildrelationshipqualitypredictshighersubjectivewellbeinginadulthoodacrossadiversegroupofcountries