The Impact of Perceived Paternal Parenting Style on Anxiety and Resilience Among Firstborn Adults

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between perceived paternal parenting styles and psychological outcomes, specifically anxiety and resilience, in first-born adults. While traditional parenting literature has often prioritized maternal influences, this research highlights the significant yet under examined role of fathers in shaping long-term mental health. Drawing from Baumrind's parenting typologies; authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive, this study investigates how first-born adults perceive their paternal figures and how these perceptions correlate with psychological functioning. A sample of 126 first-born adults was assessed using standardized self-report instruments: the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 25). Statistical analyses, including one-way and two-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression, revealed that perceived authoritarian paternal parenting was associated with significantly higher anxiety and lower resilience, while authoritative parenting was linked to the most favorable psychological outcomes. Gender was not found to moderate the relationship between perceived paternal parenting and anxiety, but it had a small significant effect on resilience. These findings underscore the importance of paternal involvement and suggest that children’s subjective interpretations of fathering behavior play a pivotal role in their emotional well-being and coping capacities. The implications of these findings are relevant for family counseling, clinical interventions, and culturally sensitive parenting education.