Abstracts Category : Other

Reported Affect Mediates the Relationship BetweenParent-Child Boundary Dissolution and Emerging Adult FunctioningAcross Cultures

by Kathy Lee Lin

Parent-child boundary dissolution (PBD) or theconfusion of interpersonal roles between parents and children istypically thought to negatively impact child well-being in Westerncultures, although cross-cultural research has produced mixedfindings. This study examined emerging adults' retrospectivereports of mothers' engagement in four PBD dimensions(psychological control, infantilization, enmeshment, rolereversal), reported affect, and current adjustment. Collegestudents in the United States (n = 119), India (n = 104), and SouthKorea (n = 101) completed self-report measures of PBD, collegeadjustment problems, and life satisfaction. Indians rated mothersas higher on all four PBD dimensions and reported feeling morepositive in response to three dimensions than Americans and SouthKoreans. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that for SouthKoreans and Americans but not Indians, reports of maternalpsychological control and infantilization were indirectlynegatively related to life satisfaction through their own reportedaffect. For Indians and Americans, maternal enmeshment wasindirectly negatively related to college adjustment problems andpositively related to life satisfaction through their own reportedaffect. For South Koreans, maternal role reversal was indirectlynegatively related to life satisfaction through their own reportedaffect. Findings highlight the role of youth affect inunderstanding the PBD-youth outcomes link.Advisors/Committee Members: Raval, Vaishali (Advisor).