Differences in Parenting Stress, Parenting Attitudes, and Parents’ Mental Health According to Parental Adult Attachment Style

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the differences in parenting stress, parenting attitudes, and parents’ mental health between different adult attachment styles. METHODS: Forty-four parents who completed a parental education program were enrolled in our study. They completed the Korean version of the Experience of Close Relationship Revised, Korean-Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Maternal Behavior Research Instrument, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. RESULTS: The avoidant attachment score positively correlated with parenting stress. The anxious attachment score showed a positive relationship with parenting stress, hostile parenting attitude, and psychopathology, but a negative association with an affectionate parenting attitude. The secure attachment group exhibited a more autonomous, affectionate parenting style and a less hostile parenting attitude and less parenting stress than the insecure attachment group. Dismissing-avoidant attachment parents reported significantly higher parenting stress scores than secure attachment parents. Preoccupied and fearful-avoidant attachment parents displayed a more hostile parenting style than secure attachment parents. Dismissing-avoidant and preoccupied parents reported a less affectionate parenting attitude than secure attachment parents. CONCLUSION: There were differences in parenting stress, parenting attitudes, and parents’ mental health depending on the adult attachment style. More specific education and interventions based on parental attachment type are necessary for parents.