958445 research-article2020 JFIXXX10.1177/0192513X20958445Journal of Family IssuesSzkody et al. Article Effects of Parenting Styles on Psychological Problems by Self Esteem and Gender Differences Journal of Family Issues 2021, Vol. 42(9) 1931­–1954 1–24 © The Author(s) 2020 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20958445 DOI: 10.1177/0192513X20958445 journals.sagepub.com/home/jfi Erica Szkody1 , Ellen H. Steele1 , and Cliff McKinney1 Abstract Current research supports the lasting effects of parenting styles on children and adolescents’ self-esteem, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Few studies have examined parenting style, self-esteem, and psychological problems together while considering gender. The current study explored the indirect effect of parenting style though self-esteem on emerging adult psychological problems as moderated by gender among 381 emerging adults. The most notable finding suggested that maternal authoritative parenting was related to higher levels of female self-esteem, which in turn related to lower levels of female psychological problems. Results indicated a relationship between higher levels of self-esteem and lower psychological problems. Findings from the current study contribute to research emphasizing the long-lasting effects of parenting style on emerging adult self-esteem and mental health, particularly among females. Keywords Emerging adult, externalizing, internalizing, gender, parenting, self esteem Although internalizing and externalizing problems tend to occur during childhood, they persist into adulthood (Ong et al., 2017). Moreover, parenting 1 Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA Corresponding Author: Erica Szkody, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 6161, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Email: ems669@msstate.edu 21932 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) styles during childhood have lasting effects on children’s self-esteem and internalizing and externalizing problems (Boer & Tranent, 2013; Driscoll et al., 2008). Both internalizing and externalizing problems in young adulthood are associated with a decreased quality of life throughout the lifetime (e.g., across health, financial, social, and environmental domains; Korhonen et al., 2018). Previous literature has consistently shown that parenting practices are divided into three categories distinguished by responsiveness and demandingness (Baumrind, 1966). Permissive parenting styles are responsive but not demanding, authoritative parenting styles are both responsive and demanding, and authoritarian parenting styles are demanding but less responsive than other styles. Baumrind (1966) suggested that authoritativeness influences children’s characteristics and behaviors by increasing the value of parental reinforcement and socialization by providing children with a clear understanding of parents’ desires and expectations of their behaviors. A fourth category of parenting, uninvolved or neglectful parenting was later added, yet it is an uncommon parenting style with significant negative consequences for the child (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Therefore, uninvolved parenting is not the focus of the current manuscript. Additionally, parenting styles impact how willing a child is to accept socialization, and therefore their behavioral outcomes (Darling & Steinberg, 1993). These parental relationships continue to influence emerging adult college students (EACS) during their transition to college as parents provide varying support and structure (Fingerman et al., 2016; McKinney & Brown, 2017; McKinney et al., 2011; McKinney et al., 2018). Arnett’s (2000) theory of emerging adulthood suggests that emerging adulthood is a unique time where individuals experience a period of semi-autonomy as they transition from living with their parents to living with friends, romantic partners, or alone. The change in proximal relationships make emerging adulthood an ideal time to examine the impact parenting styles have on self-esteem, which influences internalizing and externalizing problems (and quality of life) from childhood into adulthood (In-Albon et al., 2017). Moreover, the multiple transitions to college (e.g., no longer living with parents, as well as the stressors associated with this period of transition, may leave EACS more vulnerable to mental health problems (Bettis et al., 2017). Social-cognitive theory suggests that previous relationships (e.g., parent-child relationships) influence an individual’s self-concept. The theory states that previous experiences with support help individuals form social schemas of support availability such that support will be available, and the individual may form a positive self-concept. Warmth and social support from parents during adolescence and emerging adulthood have been shown to increase self-esteem (Moore & Shell, 2017), which in turn, has been associated with higher quality of life and decreased Szkody et al. 19333 psychological problems (Korhonen et al., 2018). Thus, warmth and previous experiences of positive parenting may improve positive self-identity formation and improve self-esteem. The current study advanced the literature by investigating the relationship among these variables in EACS by examining the indirect effects of parenting styles on internalizing and externalizing problems through self-esteem. These indirect effects were examined in the context of parent and child gender as moderators. Parenting Styles and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems A large body of research indicates that parenting styles predict internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood and adulthood (Boer & Tranent, 2013; Braza et al., 2015). Authoritative parenting style is generally associated with positive outcomes (Boer & Tranent, 2013; Braza et al., 2015; Driscoll et al., 2008; Lee et al., 2013; Milevsky et al., 2007). Additionally, authoritative parenting (i.e., strict yet responsive) resulted in lower levels of internalizing problems in boys only, and lower levels of externalizing problems in both boys and girls (DiMaggio & Zappulla, 2014). Conversely, permissive and authoritarian styles were related to externalizing and internalizing problems in children (Boer & Tranent, 2013; Driscoll et al., 2008; Pereira et al., 2009; Zarra-Nezhad et al., 2014). Gender differences in parenting styles have been observed frequently (Walker & McKinney, 2015). For example, the combination of maternal and paternal permissive parenting style predicted physical aggression in females, whereas maternal authoritarian style combined with paternal permissive style predicted both physical and emotional aggression (Braza et al., 2015). This latter combination also predicted internalizing problems in boys (Braza et al., 2015). Among EACS, higher levels of authoritative parenting from mothers and fathers were associated with lower internalizing and externalizing problems (McKinney, Morse, & Pastuszak, 2016). EACS who reported having at least one parent who used an authoritative style also reported lower psychological problems than EACS who reported no parents using an authoritative style (McKinney & Renk, 2008). Thus, it is important to examine the mechanisms (e.g., EACS self-esteem) that may explain the association between parenting styles and EACS internalizing and externalizing problems. Given the previous literature, the current study hypothesized that authoritarian parenting would be positively associated with externalizing and internalizing problems, whereas permissive and authoritative parenting styles would be associated negatively to internalizing and externalizing problems. 41934 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem In addition to their impact on internalizing and externalizing problems, parenting styles have a direct lasting impact on offspring self-esteem (Boer & Tranent, 2013). Adolescents with authoritative and permissive parents, either mother or father, were found to be happier and have higher levels of selfesteem than those whose parents utilized an authoritarian style (Driscoll et al., 2008; Li et al., 2010; Raboteg-Saric, & Sakic, 2014). However, Love and Thomas (2014) suggested that both permissive and authoritarian parenting resulted in lower self-esteem in offspring. Thus the impact of permissive parenting on offspring’s self-esteem remains inconclusive. Additionally, children with higher self-esteem reported perceiving their parents as caring, (Babore et al., 2016; Lee et al., 2013); though important, such perceptions are not specific to a parenting style. Guidance for the impact of parenting and autonomy granting can be taken from self-determination theory, suggesting that parental support for autonomy overall supports healthy development and adjustment for offspring (Joussemet et al., 2008). Supportive parenting with appropriate autonomy granting is a defining characteristic of authoritative parenting. Alternatively, overprotective or helicopter parenting (i.e., overinvolved parenting) limits developmentally appropriate autonomy granting, and has negative outcomes for male and female EACS (Buchanan & LeMoyne, 2020a, 2020b; PatockPeckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2009). However, females from single-parent households with a low autonomy granting parent may not experience similar negative effects on self-efficacy as their male counterparts (Buchanan & LeMoyne, 2020a). Thus, lack of or developmentally inappropriate autonomy granting may put EACS at higher risk for negative mental health outcomes. Prior research supporting self-determination theory has focused on infancy through adolescence, yet has not been extended into EACS despite research supporting the continued impact of parenting on EACS. Regarding gender differences, Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez (2009) found that paternal authoritarian styles led to a decrease in self-esteem in males only, and that paternal authoritative and permissive styles increased self-esteem between both genders. Such results emphasize the important role that fathers continue to play on EACS self-esteem and the different impacts based on EACS gender. Other researchers have found paternal authoritative and permissive styles to influence only female self-esteem (McKinney et al., 2011). Specifically, authoritative and authoritarian style by both parents was positively and negatively related, respectively, to female self-esteem; permissive maternal style was negatively related, whereas permissive paternal style was positively related to female self-esteem. For males, only maternal Szkody et al. 19355 authoritative or permissive parenting styles was significantly related to an increase in self-esteem. It is important to note that autonomy-granting may be culturally influenced leading to different expectations within parent child gender dyads (Endendijk et al., 2018; McKinney & Brown, 2017). For example, in an examination of parent expectations of adult behaviors in their EACS, mothers reported that they believed care, protection, and relational compliance were most important for female emerging adult development, and fathers of sons promoted relational factors as well (Nelson et. al, 2007). Overall, such contradictory results emphasize the importance of examining the impact of each dyad combination on EACS self-esteem and mental health outcomes. Specifically, the current study hypothesized that authoritative parenting (i.e., maternal and paternal) would be positively associated with selfesteem, whereas authoritarian and permissive parenting would be negatively associated with self-esteem. Self-Esteem and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems In addition to the associations found between parenting styles and outcomes, self-esteem also has been related to internalizing and externalizing problems (Boden et al., 2008). Overall, self-esteem is an important, though nonspecific, factor in influencing physical and mental health (Mann et al., 2004). Poor self-esteem has been linked to depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, aggression, and externalizing problems in adults and adolescents (Donnellan et al., 2005; Gregg et al., 2016; Leeuwis et al., 2015). In-Albon and colleagues (2017) longitudinally examined the role of self-esteem and found it was a predictor of internalizing problems over time while controlling for history of depression, gender, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, selfesteem was a better predictor of internalizing problems than coping behaviors, social network size, and the impact of negative life events. Thus, the current study hypothesized that that self-esteem would be associated negatively with internalizing and externalizing problems in both males and females. Some research has found no gender differences in the relationships between self-esteem and internalizing or externalizing problems, indicating that higher self-esteem for either gender is a protective factor against internalizing and externalizing problems (Martinsen et al., 2016). It is worthwhile to note that though female and male EACS report similar self-esteem (Dixon & Kurpius, 2008), female EACS reported higher stress and higher internalizing problems as compared to their male counterparts (Dixon & Kurpius, 2008; Zuckerman, 1989). Moreover, for both male and female EACS selfesteem was protective against depression (Patock-Peckham & MorganLopez, 2009). Additionally, maternal permissive and authoritative parenting 61936 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) was associated with decreased risk for male EACS depression through appropriate autonomy granting and self-esteem (Patock-Peckham & MorganLopez, 2009), whereas paternal permissive and authoritative parenting were associated with decreased risk for male and female EACS depression and higher scores of autonomy granting as mediated by feelings of self-esteem. It is clear that despite the importance of parenting style and associated behaviors, self-esteem strongly influences EACS mental health. Thus, in the current study it was hypothesized that parenting style (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) would have an indirect effect on internalizing and externalizing problems through self-esteem. Hypotheses Many studies have explored the differential predictive power of maternal and paternal parenting styles on child, adolescent, and emerging adult psychopathology. Likewise, the link between parenting styles and child self-esteem has been well established (Boer & Tranent, 2013; Driscoll et al., 2008; Lee et al., 2013; Li et al., 2010). Previous research has focused on the specific outcomes of alcohol, depression, or other specific internalizing and externalizing problems (Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2009). Notably, Georgiou et al. (2016) conducted a study with 10- to 14-year-old offspring and their mothers, examining the effects of common factors (e.g., warmth, protection, etc.) related to parenting styles on internalizing and externalizing problems as mediated by self-esteem, friendship quality, and social acceptance. They found that positive parenting characteristics (i.e., warmth) were attributed to increased self-esteem and, in turn, less internalizing and externalizing problems in offspring, whereas negative parenting characteristics (i.e., parental rejection, anxious rearing and overprotection) led to lower self-esteem and, in turn, more internalizing and externalizing problems in offspring. Similar to Georgiou et al. (2016), the current study examined the indirect effect of parenting on both internalizing and externalizing problems through self-esteem. Expanding on this research, the current study examined parenting styles (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) specifically in the context of gender among emerging adults, using a path analysis model as shown in Figure 1. Mothers and fathers may promote different specific behaviors as signs of adulthood that differ depending on the gender of the child (Endendijk et al., 2018; Nelson et. al, 2007). As parent-child gender is influential during childhood and adolescence and it may play a role in the continued development of self-esteem in emerging adults, the current study examined the pathways among parent-child dyads. Differential parent-child gender differences have been demonstrated across prior research examining EACS and Szkody et al. 19377 Figure 1. Path analysis. Effects are shown in Table 2. χ2(12) = 42.209, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .08. their parents (e.g., Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2009; Steele & McKinney, 2018a). For clarity, hypotheses were organized thematically. Self-esteem Direct Effects Based on the protective nature of self-esteem against mental health problems (cf. In-Albon et al., 2017), hypothesis 1 stated that self-esteem would be associated negatively with internalizing and externalizing problems in both males and females. Given that parenting style has a direct impact on selfesteem throughout development (Boer & Tranent, 2013) and prior research has emphasized the benefits of authoritative parenting (Driscoll et al., 2008; Li, et al., 2010; Raboteg-Saric & Sakic, 2014), it was hypothesized that authoritative parenting (i.e., maternal and paternal) would be positively associated with self-esteem (Hypothesis 2), whereas authoritarian and permissive parenting would be negatively associated with self-esteem (Hypothesis 3). Parenting Direct Effects Although previous research has demonstrated that permissive parenting is a less adaptive style, in emerging adults, perceived permissive parenting may 81938 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) be representative of a shift to more developmentally appropriate autonomy granting that has been linked to lower rates of mental health problems in emerging adulthood (Duineveld et al., 2017; Kouros et al., 2017; Nelson et al., 2011; Steele & McKinney, 2018a). Additionally, authoritative parenting has been shown to decrease psychological problems consistently across the literature (Liem et al., 2010). Thus, it was hypothesized that authoritarian parenting would be positively associated with externalizing and internalizing problems (Hypothesis 4), whereas permissive and authoritative parenting styles would be associated negatively to internalizing and externalizing problems (Hypothesis 5). Indirect Effects Additionally, it was hypothesized (Hypothesis 6) that parenting style (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) would have an indirect effect on internalizing and externalizing problems through self-esteem. Prior research has demonstrated gender differences in the continued impact of parents on their emerging adult children. For example, daughters with a better relationship with their fathers had less mental health problems even in the context of less adaptive parenting styles (i.e., permissive and authoritarian; Steele & McKinney, 2018a). Additionally, a positive mother-daughter relationship continues to influence mental health problems even in the context of physical maltreatment (Steele & McKinney, 2018b). Thus, Hypothesis 7 stated that a stronger effect between maternal and paternal authoritative parenting would be present for females than males. Method Participants Participants included emerging adults attending a large Southern university in the United States and consisted of individuals between the ages of 18 years and 24 years old (M = 18.98, SD = 1.29). The sample consisted of 149 males and 232 females (N = 381) who were White (74.5%), Black (20.7%), Asian (1.8%), Hispanic/Latino (1.3%), Asian (1.8%), and other/unknown (1.5%) ethnicities. Over half of the participants reported their father (54%) and mother (58%) had a four-year degree or higher. Procedure Upon approval from the Institutional Review Board, all psychology undergraduate students at a large Southern university were recruited through an Szkody et al. 19399 online research system where they were encouraged to select a study to participate from a list of psychological studies in exchange for credit by selecting a link to an online survey. Participants were then given the option to read through an informed consent document before either proceeding to the survey or withdrawing from the study. All measures were presented in random order and based on their current perceptions. After completing the survey or withdrawing from the study, participants were presented a debriefing page. Participants were treated within the ethical guidelines set forth by the American Psychological Association. Measures Parenting style. The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ; Buri, 1991) contained 30 questions loading onto permissive (e.g., my mother/father feels that in a well-run home the children should have their way in the family as often as the parents do), authoritarian (e.g., I know what my mother/father expects of me in the family and she/he insists that I conform to those expectations simply out of respect for her/his authority), and authoritative (e.g., if mother/ father makes a decision in the family that hurts me, she/he is willing to discuss that decision with me and to admit it if she/he had made a mistake) scales. All questions regarding parenting were asked for each parent (i.e., a set of questions for mothers parenting and a set of questions about fathers parenting). Participants rated each statement according to a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Test-retest reliabilities ranged from .77 to .92, and internal consistency reliabilities ranged from .74 to .87 on the subscales, demonstrating good reliability, and convergent and criterion-related validity have been established (Buri, 1991). For the current study, Cronbach alphas ranged from .78 to .90. Scores across items were summed for each individual subscale (i.e., maternal permissive parenting, maternal authoritative parenting, maternal authoritarian parenting, paternal permissive parenting, paternal authoritative parenting, and paternal authoritarian parenting). Higher scores on each subscale indicate more of each parenting behavior/style. Self-esteem. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory (RSEI; Rosenberg, 1965) was used to assess self-esteem. The scale consisted of 10 items (e.g. I take a positive attitude toward myself) that are rated on a four-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Internal consistencies ranged from .85 to .88 in college student samples, and convergent and criterion-related validity have been demonstrated (Rosenberg, 1965). All items were summed to calculate self-esteem. Higher scores indicated more reported self-esteem. Cronbach alpha was .88 for the current study. 1940 10 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) Internalizing and externalizing problems. The Adult Self- Report (ASR; Rescorla & Achenbach, 2004) consists of 123 statements used to assess internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Problem behaviors are scored with 0 = not true, 1 = somewhat or sometimes true, and 2 = very true or often true. The Internalizing Problems scale includes the Withdrawn (e.g. I don’t get along with other people), Somatic Complaints (e.g., I feel dizzy or light headed), and Anxious/ Depressed Syndrome scales (e.g. I am too fearful or anxious), and the Externalizing Problems scale includes the Rule-breaking Behavior (e.g., I lie or cheat), Aggressive Behavior (e.g., I physically attack people), and Intrusive syndrome (e.g., I talk too much) scales. The Somatic problems, Withdrawn, and Anxious/ Depressed syndrome scales were summed to create the internalizing problems variable. Likewise, Rule-Breaking Behavior, Aggressive Behavior, and Intrusive syndrome scales were summed to create the Externalizing problems variable. Higher scores on each subscale indicated more Internalizing or Externalizing problems. Both the Internalizing Problems and Externalizing Problems variables were utilized as dependent variables within the examined model. Internal consistency alphas ranged from .87 to .93 (Rescorla & Achenbach, 2004). The Cronbach alphas ranged from .91 to .95 for this study. Data Analysis Missing data was analyzed using SPSS 24.0. Given that variables were less than 10% missing, mean replacement was utilized for missing values consistent with Bennett (2001). Path analysis was conducted using AMOS 24.0. Model fit was examined with the comparative fit index (CFI) and (RMSEA); a value greater than or equal to .95 or .90 on the CFI, and a RMSEA less than or equal to .06 or .08, indicate good or acceptable model fit, respectively (Hu & Bentler, 1999). Direct effects among variables were used to test hypotheses 1 through 5. Hypotheses 6 through 8 were tested using indirect effects, which have been suggested to more adequately test for indirect effects (MacKinnon, 2008; Rucker et al., 2011). Indirect effects were estimated with bootstrapping using 2,000 iterations, which is considered to be more robust than other tests of indirect effects (Hayes, 2009). Hypothesis 9 was tested using multiple group analysis using pairwise parameter comparisons, a statistical test comparing the difference between path coefficients (i.e., paths different based on gender). This comparison produces a Z score indicating the statistical difference between groups on a particular path coefficient, similar to statistically comparing correlation coefficients. Exogenous parenting variables were correlated within parent style (e.g., all maternal parenting styles correlated amongst themselves) and between parents (i.e., maternal parenting styles correlated to paternal parenting styles). Internalizing problems and externalizing problems residuals also were correlated. Szkody et al. 1941 11 Results Correlations and direct effects used to examine hypotheses 1 through 5 are reported in Table 1 and Table 2. Negative correlations between self-esteem and both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were found across males and females. Self-Esteem Direct Effects Direct effects supported hypothesis 1 (i.e., self-esteem would be associated negatively with internalizing and externalizing problems in both males and females) and demonstrated a negative association between self-esteem and internalizing/externalizing problems for both genders. Specifically, selfesteem was associated with lower scores of internalizing and externalizing problems for both males and females. Authoritative parenting was positively related to self-esteem across parent and child gender, supporting hypothesis 2. Additionally, direct effects demonstrated that maternal authoritative parenting was associated with self-esteem in females only. Hypothesis 3 was not supported as authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were not significantly associated with self-esteem. Parenting Direct Effects Significant coefficients are shown in Figure 2. Authoritarian parenting style was not related significantly to internalizing or externalizing problems across parent and child gender, failing to support hypothesis 4. Similarly, maternal permissive parenting style was significantly associated with internalizing problems in males but not females. Paternal permissive parenting was associated with more externalizing problems in females, but not males. Direct effects demonstrated that maternal authoritative parenting was negatively related to internalizing and externalizing problems in females, with similar but nonsignificant results in males; paternal authoritative parenting style was negatively related to externalizing problems in females, with similar but nonsignificant results when examining female internalizing problems as well as male internalizing and externalizing problems, partially supporting hypothesis 5. Indirect Effects As shown in Figure 2, the path analysis demonstrated good model fit according to the CFI and acceptable model fit according to the RMSEA, although it should be noted that models such as the one in the current study tend to artificially increase the RMSEA due to low df (Kenny et al., 2015). As shown in 12 – .80* -.01 -.14 -.42* -.33* -.02 .08 .07 .82* – -.05 .07 -.21 -.37* .01 -.01 .04 2. .01 .00 – .73** .01 .16 .24* -.18 -.19 3. .02 .11 .80* – .19 .02 .21* -.16 -.16 4. -.24* -.10 .19* .17 – .72* .02 -.03 .05 5. -.10 -.19* .20* .19 .72* – .08 -.04 -.00 6. -.08 -.00 .31* .27* .14 .04 – -.57* -.34* 7. .15 .12 -.22* -.20 -.03 -.02 -.66* – .75* 8. .12 .12 -.23* -.26* -.00 .03 -.47* .71* – 9. 16.45(5.77) 15.68(5.43) 25.31(6.46) 24.13(7.00) 23.36(6.60) 23.944(6.22) 21.86(5.46) 13.01(13.82) 11.97(10.13) M(SD) Males 15.27(6.46) 14.81(6.74) 26.16(7.40) 25.04(7.56) 23.96(6.49) 24.80(6.78) 21.34(5.43) 14.38(11.73) 10.52(8.46) M(SD) Female Note. Correlations appear below the diagonal for males and above for females. * indicates p < .01. EA = Emerging Adult. M = Maternal. P = Paternal. 1. M permissive 2. P permissive 3. M authoritative 4. P authoritative 5. M authoritarian 6. P authoritarian 7. EA self-esteem 8. EA internalizing 9. EA externalizing 1. Table 1. Correlations among Variables in Measurement Model. 1942 Journal of Family Issues 42(9) ♂.16 ♀ -.12 ♂.07 ♀ .10 ♂.04 ♀ .07 EA externalizing EA internalizing EA externalizing ♂.07 ♀ -.08 ♂.04 ♀ -.05 ♂.15 ♀.00 ♂-.13 ♀.13 ♂.02 ♀.10 Authoritarian ♂-.09 ♀ .07 ♂-.05 ♀ .05 Indirect Effects ♂-.09♀ -.17* ♂-.08 ♀- .07 ♂-.05♀ -.12* ♂-.05 ♀ -.05 ♂.16 ♀ -.11 ♂-.01 ♀ -.03 Authoritarian ♂-.05 ♀.12 ♂.15 ♀.11 ♂-.24 ♀.13 Permissive ♂-.07 ♀.26* ♂-.09 ♀.07 ♂.16 ♀.27* ♂-.14 ♀.04 Authoritative Direct Effects ♂-.05 ♀ -.03 ♂-.03 ♀ -.02 ♂-.03 ♀ -.24* ♂.08 ♀.05 ♂.11 ♀ -.08 Authoritative Paternal Parenting Styles Note. ♂ indicates male, and ♀ indicates female coefficients. p < .05 indicated by *, p < .001 indicated by **. EA = Emerging Adult. ♂-.13 ♀ -.16 ♂.28* ♀.01 Self-esteem EA internalizing Permissive Maternal Parenting Styles Table 2. Direct and Indirect Effects and Gender Differences for Path Analysis. – – ♂-.55** ♀ -.66** ♂-.31** ♀ -.44** Self Esteem Szkody et al. 1943 13 1944 14 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) Figure 2. Structural model. Thin black line indicates significant path for at least one gender, while bold black line indicates significant path for both genders. Grey line indicates non-significant path. ♂ indicates male and ♀ indicates female path coefficients. Effects are shown in Table 2. Table 2, indirect effects between maternal authoritative parenting style and both internalizing and externalizing problems through self-esteem were significant for females only, partially supporting hypothesis 6. The indirect effect for paternal authoritative parenting style was not significant for males or females. Indirect pathways for permissive and authoritarian styles were not significant, not supporting hypotheses 7 and 8. Pairwise parameter comparisons (the comparison between gender groups) unveiled no differences between genders, failing to support hypothesis 9. Discussion The current study examined the direct and indirect effects of parenting style through self-esteem on emerging adult internalizing and externalizing problems while examining the influence of gender dyads. The most notable finding in the current study is that the only significant indirect effects were found when examining authoritative style within the mother-daughter dyad. That is, maternal authoritative parenting was related to higher levels of female selfesteem, which in turn was related to lower levels of female internalizing and externalizing problems. Szkody et al. 1945 15 This finding suggests that the mother-daughter relationship is particularly influential for daughters’ self-esteem and mental health. Evidence for why this effect was found only in the mother-daughter dyad has been found in other studies. For example, Turnage (2004) reported that daughters’ selfesteem was influenced by the quality and warmth of the mother-daughter relationship in adolescence, and Domene et al. (2011) reported that motherdaughter dyads showed more closeness, engaged in more shared activities, and experienced less conflict than mother-son dyads in adolescence and the transition to emerging adulthood (Domene et al., 2011). With a closer relationship with mothers, daughters may be receiving more guidance and support, as compared to sons, emphasizing the continuing influence of mothers from adolescence into emerging adulthood. Moreover, close mother-daughter relationships may increase perceptions of available guidance and support allowing for a greater confidence managing the transition to adulthood. Additionally, as adolescents transition into adulthood, they tend to experience more conflict with their fathers (Buhl et al., 2015) and may distance themselves from this relationship, providing less opportunities for paternal influence. Finally, this may suggest different critical windows for parents’ influence on their children’s self-esteem. Given the increased conflict during emerging adulthood (see Buhl et al., 2015), fathers may be more influential during early adolescence, whereas emerging adults may seek more closeness and less conflict from their parents leading to continued emphasis on the maternal relationship. It is important to note that the effects of parenting were not significant for males. Previous studies have found that parents may be more involved with daughters than with sons (e.g., Weisskirch, 2018). Further, there are some cultural considerations that may explain why the influence of parenting may not be associated with male self-esteem, in the same ways that they are for females. For example, some studies have shown that parents spend significantly less time with sons than daughters as they enter adolescence and beyond (e.g., Lam et al., 2012). This difference may further enhance specific gender roles that may influence identity and self-esteem development. Specifically, males have been found to develop their self-esteem independently through a differentiation between themselves and others, whereas females have been shown to develop through their connectedness with others, in this case, family (Norona et al., 2015). Several other findings were consistent with prior research. As predicted, authoritative style was associated with higher self-esteem and lower internalizing and externalizing problems, except for the nonsignificant association between paternal authoritative style and internalizing problems for daughters. Prior research supports a consistent relationship between authoritative 1946 16 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) parenting and self-esteem (see Duineveld et al., 2017). Parental support for emerging adults’ autonomy during emerging adulthood may allow for appropriate developmental opportunities for growth, leading to increased success and self-esteem. When examining these relationships with self-esteem, the current study did not find gender differences, consistent with prior research on self-esteem (e.g., Martinsen et al., 2016). Authoritarian style was not significantly related to self-esteem or increased externalizing and internalizing problems for either gender, yet permissive style was significant in mixed parent-child gender dyads. Maternal permissive style was associated with higher male internalizing problems, whereas paternal permissive style was associated with higher female externalizing problems. Paternal permissive parenting style results are consistent with the research of Steele and McKinney (2018a), which found increased externalizing behaviors in daughters with a good relationship with their fathers in the context of a permissive parenting style. Steele and McKinney (2018a) suggested that the better relationship with their fathers may have decreased barriers and deemphasized the social prohibitions associated with externalizing behaviors, specifically substance use. Results give further support to the influence of gender on parenting style and the impact on self-esteem and mental health. Paternal permissive style results are consistent with Pinquart’s (2019) recent meta-analysis supporting increased rates of externalizing problems; however, authoritarian parenting results are inconsistent with Pinquart (i.e., more externalizing problems with authoritarian parenting) as current findings indicated an association between decreased externalizing problems within the father-daughter dyad, giving further credence to other research suggesting distinct differences for emerging adults in a Southern United States sample (McKinney & Brown, 2017). Emerging adults in the Southern United States may interpret authoritarian parenting as normative and associated with parental love, moderating the negative effects typically associated with authoritarian style. Moreover, cultural expectations of a stricter or harsher parenting style (e.g., code of honor; Cohen & Nisbett, 1994) may further emphasize the discrepancy between emerging adult expectations of parenting and the parenting received from a more permissive parenting style. Many theoretical approaches provide guidance for understanding the changing parent-child relationship as well as the influence of the parent-child relationship on self-esteem. Attachment theory, social relational theory, and the theory of emerging adulthood suggest that the parent-child relationship evolves over time as emerging adults gain more autonomy and become more independent (Lindell & Campione-Barr, 2017). As the relationship changes, satisfaction from the relationship increases. Additionally, individuals have Szkody et al. 1947 17 more or less formed their identity by the point of emerging adulthood, suggesting that influence of parenting styles may be different during this timeperiod than in childhood or adolescence when identity formation is still young (Lindell & Campione-Barr, 2017). Studies on attachment theory have shown that parental attachment styles are associated with EACS self-esteem as well as their intimacy with others (e.g., Weisskirch, 2018). These studies suggest that the social patterns learned from interactions between EACS and their parents do influence the ways in which they about think about themselves and how they interact with others. Further, social relational theory posits that individuals may develop selfesteem through their interactions with others. The findings in the current study supported the literature. Parenting styles that were associated with autonomy granting (e.g., authoritative parenting and permissive parenting) were associated with better self-esteem, suggesting that autonomy may help to facilitate the development of self-esteem. This is even more important for EACS, as the theory of emerging adulthood states that individuals begin to explore new relationships and take on more responsibility (e.g., paying their own bills for the first time, attending classes, setting their own schedule, beginning a career or job, etc.) as they transition to college and out of the family home (Arnett, 2015). Finally, it is important to highlight the robust relationship between higher levels of self-esteem and decreased levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems in both genders. The findings are consistent with prior research examining the influence of self-esteem on children and adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems (Georgiou et al., 2016), which emphasizes the vital role of parenting characteristics in the development of children’s self-esteem. The current study is one of the first studies to extend Georgiou and colleagues’ (2016) findings from adolescence into emerging adults and with respect to parent and child gender, further emphasizing the continuing influence of parents as well as the protective role of self-esteem. Strengths & Limitations The current study adds to the developing body of literature on the continuing influence of parents on emerging adults’ mental health. Moreover, this study supports emerging adulthood as a continuation of adolescence as parents continue to influence their children. Despite the positives, the sample is predominately White and from a university. The results may not consistently generalize to non-White college students or emerging adults not enrolled in a university, for example, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Yet results are consistent with the previous literature among Italian, New Zealand, and 1948 18 42(9) Journal of Family Issues 00(0) Thai samples (Babore et al., 2016; Boden et al., 2008; Lee et al., 2013). Emerging adults not enrolled may experience higher rates of internalizing or externalizing problems as well as having less supportive parents, or may have different developmental trajectories altogether. As with all studies including a self-report element, concerns exist about self-report biases. For example, participants may underreport their selfesteem to appear humble, or may underreport internalizing or externalizing problems due to fears of stigma. Despite these concerns, Finley, Mira, and Schwartz (2008) emphasize the use of self-report measures as valid, especially with emerging adults who may be freer to report on their parents than younger children. Additionally, several studies have found that other parenting variables, such as helicopter parenting (e.g., Buchanan & LeMoyne, 2020a; Buchanan & LeMoyne, 2020b; Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2009), may further influence the development of self-esteem in emerging adulthood, and it was not assessed in the current study. The current study is a cross-sectional exploration of emerging adults’ selfesteem and mental health, limiting the ability to explore causality; however, the utilization of path analysis allowed for the comparison of the distinct influences of both mothers and fathers on male and female offspring. Prior research has not always included parent-child gender dyads, whereas the current study provides analysis of the four-unique parent-child dyads. For example, the current study found indirect effects for the mother-daughter dyad only, supporting the notion that the mother-daughter relationship plays a specialized role in daughters’ mental health during emerging adulthood. Furthermore, the study used a developmental perspective to determine the analysis model. It was assumed that parenting begins before birth, and therefore self-esteem development. Thus, parenting was used at the independent variable in the model. However, future studies should examine the possibility of a bidirectional effect between the reporting of perceived parenting styles and emerging adult self-esteem. As a time of transition for both emerging adults and their parents, it is important to explore this stage further. Few students live at-home with their parents during college, potentially dimming the current influence of parents, yet parents still appear to have consistent on-going effects on their children. Given the importance of a successful transition from high school to college, parenting characteristics may be more influential than initially predicted. Clearly, emerging adult self-esteem and associated mental health problems should be examined in noncollege populations, for example, among military recruits during basic training as well as young children and adolescents. Szkody et al. 1949 19 Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. ORCID iDs Erica Szkody Ellen H. Steele https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4959-1895 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0106-8803 References Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. 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