Overparenting and Emerging Adults' Romantic Relationship Efficacy: The Moderating Role of Individual Cultural Beliefs

Romantic love and intimacy are critical for emerging adults to explore self-identity. Relationship efficacy is a cognitive process related to conflict management that plays an important role in romantic relationship development and quality. Overparenting, characterized by high control and involvement, could undermine the development of emerging adults. Despite the potential negative impact of overparenting, the association between overparenting and relationship efficacy remains unexplored. Furthermore, differences related to norms in romantic relationship development and parenting practices across cultures should be considered, particularly between individualistic societies in the U.S. and collectivist societies in Asia. Using a person-centered approach, this study aimed to investigate the associations between profiles of overparenting and relationship efficacy in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Additionally, the potential moderation by individual-level cultural beliefs was explored to investigate whether these associations vary by horizontal individualism, vertical individualism, horizontal collectivism, or vertical collectivism. Data were collected from 235 American and 303 Hong Kong Chinese emerging adults who were currently in a romantic relationship. Overparenting was assessed across academic, financial, relational, health domains. Results from latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed three profiles in the U.S sample and two profiles in the Hong Kong sample. Regression analyses indicated that an "overall high overparenting" profile was associated with the lowest level of relationship efficacy in both samples. A distinct "overall medium overparenting, but high in financial and low in relational overparenting" profile emerged in the U.S. sample which was related to the most optimal relationship efficacy among American emerging adults. Additionally, moderating effects by individual cultural beliefs suggested that, in the U.S. sample, individuals with higher vertical individualism beliefs were found to be more susceptible to the negative impact of "overall high overparenting" on relationship efficacy compared to those who experienced "overall low overparenting." Implications, future directions, and limitations were further discussed.

Grantor dc:publisher

Florida State University

Year dc:date

2024

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jiao, Chengfei (author)
• Cui, Ming, 1971- (professor directing dissertation)
• Maner, Jon K. (university representative)
• Fincham, Frank D. (committee member)
• Kimmes, Jonathan G. (Jonathan Gene) (committee member)
• Florida State University (degree granting institution)
• College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (degree granting college)
• Department of Human Development and Family Science (degree granting department)

• Sociology--Research
• Mental health
• Psychology

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

fsu:927933
iid: Jiao_fsu_0071E_18525

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:diginole.lib.fsu.edu:fsu_927933