The pathways of father-child attachment: Examining conflict communication, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in emerging adults

<p>Emerging adulthood is marked by instability, identity exploration, and heightened vulnerability to mental health difficulties. Parental attachment relationships shape emotion regulation and conflict communication during this transition, with implications for psychopathology. Using a cross-sectional survey design, this study examined associations among attachment-related anxiety and avoidance toward mothers and fathers, conflict communication, emotion regulation strategies, and psychopathology in 334 emerging adults. Participants completed measures of parental attachment; conflict communication; behavioral and cognitive emotion regulation strategies; and internalizing, externalizing, substance use, and crime-related symptoms. Attachment-related anxiety toward both parents was associated with elevated internalizing symptoms. Greater conflict communication with fathers was uniquely linked to higher substance use and crime-related symptoms, underscoring the distinct role of paternal relationship dynamics in externalizing outcomes. Attachment-related avoidance toward both mothers and fathers was associated with increased internalizing and substance use symptoms. Moderation analyses indicated that greater use of externally oriented emotion regulation strategies was associated with higher internalizing symptoms across levels of paternal attachment avoidance. However, low attachment avoidance toward fathers appeared to buffer against the adverse effects of lower engagement in externally oriented emotion regulation strategies. These findings highlight the importance of examining maternal and paternal attachment separately and suggest that father– child attachment and conflict processes may uniquely influence psychopathology. Results inform attachment-based, family-sensitive interventions targeting emotion regulation and parent–child dynamics.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Bhutoria, Kanica

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rusty McIntyre, PhD
• Chong Man Chow, PhD
• Eamonn Arble, PhD

• Clinical Psychology
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1344

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2671