OBJECTIVE: Eating disorders (EDs) typically emerge during adolescence. Parental bonding has a lasting impact on a child\'s mental health during those developmentally critical years. There remains uncertainty over whether parental bonding is a risk factor for developing or maintaining specifically EDs or, rather, general psychopathology and the associated underlying brain function.
METHODS: Forty-one young adult healthy control individuals (HC, 26.6 ± 3.5 years) and 46 individuals with EDs (25 with anorexia nervosa, AN, 22.8 ± 6.4 years, and 21 with bulimia nervosa, BN, 23.5 ± 4.2 years) completed the parental bonding instrument (PBI), assessments for anxiety, depression, and ED behaviors, and underwent a conditioning paradigm during brain imaging.
RESULTS: In both groups, perceived parental care and overprotection were correlated with state and trait anxiety and interpersonal alienation, and in HC only, with body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. Individuals with an ED reported lower self-perceived parental care, but higher overprotection compared to the HC group. Nucleus accumbens (NAc) response was related to bonding measures in both groups and right NAc response mediated the relationship between maternal care and trait anxiety in HC.
CONCLUSIONS: Perceived parental bonding is associated with general psychopathology, including elevated anxiety and interpersonal difficulties across HC and ED groups. Lower perceived parental care and higher overprotection could predispose healthy individuals to develop problems with body shape or weight; however, other, maybe biological factors may determine whether a person will develop an ED. The link between perceived parental bonding, NAc valence processing and anxiety implicates dopaminergic circuits that should be studied further.
METHODS: Level III: Case-control analytic study.

Background: The present study aims to elucidate the association between adverse childhood experiences, parental bonding, fatherhood, and social anxiety symptoms among emerging adults within an Iranian context. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study utilized self-reported assessments to evaluate fatherhood, parental bonding, anxious thoughts, and childhood trauma. The study was administered to 242 university students exhibiting social anxiety symptoms. Among the participants, 181 (74.8%) were boys and 61 (25.2%) were girls between the ages of 18 and 29. In terms of educational background, 64.9% of them held a bachelor\'s degree, and 35.1% held a master\'s degree. A majority of them (84.3%) were of middle-class socio-economic status, 6.6% were of low income, and 9.1% were of high income. Results: Analysis via multiple linear regression revealed that individuals with adverse childhood experiences exhibited heightened levels of social anxiety symptoms (R2 = 0.32) compared to their counterparts without such experiences. Furthermore, fatherhood (R2 = 0.28), paternal bonding (R2 = 0.26), and maternal bonding (R2 = 0.26) were all significantly and equally associated with variance in social anxiety symptoms. The findings underscored the substantial correlation between ACEs, fatherhood, and both maternal and paternal bonding with social anxiety symptoms in adulthood. Conclusions: Accordingly, the study emphasizes the importance of thoroughly assessing the multifaceted contributors to social anxiety. Such insights are pivotal for the design and implementation of community-based preventive interventions aimed at reducing the societal burden of social anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders represent a prevalent mental health concern, with escalating rates, especially among emerging adults. University students, in particular, face a myriad of academic and life stressors that can amplify feelings of worry and anxiety. While early parental bonding seem to predict anxiety disorders later in life, the applicability to emerging adult students and its applicability to predict sub-clinical and transdiagnostic anxiety features remain unclear. This study aims to examine i) the relationship between demographic variables and key features of anxiety disorders (i.e., worry and anxiety symptoms); and ii) the predictive association between early parental bonding and anxiety-related features. A sample of 370 university students in Italy (n = 279 females; M age = 20.84 years, SD age = 1.81 years) completed the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Females reported higher levels of worry and anxiety compared to males. Significantly higher worry and anxiety symptoms were reported by individuals who experienced affectionless control (low care and high overprotection) as compared to those exposed to optimal parenting (high care and low overprotection). Predictive models indicated that scores of parental care (i.e., the principal component between maternal and paternal care scores) and parental overprotection (i.e., the principal component between maternal and paternal overprotection scores) are robust predictors of worry and anxiety symptoms. However, this relationship showed a gender-specific pattern: lower parental care was more significant in predicting anxiety features in males, while high overprotection was more significant in females. The findings contribute to the comprehension of the risk factors influencing the susceptibility of emerging adult students to anxiety disorders.

The aims of the current study are to describe the basic family relationships, parental bonding patterns, and dyadic adjustment of families with offspring diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and to explore the correlations between these variables related to family relations and BPD symptomatology. The sample consisted of 194 participants, including parents from the control (N = 76) and clinical group (N = 76), and patients with BPD (N = 42). All progenitors completed a measure of family relations, parental bonding, and dyadic adjustment. Patients completed a measure of parental bonding and borderline symptomatology. The results showed significant differences between both groups in marital and parental functioning, marital satisfaction, dyadic adjustment, and care. Correlations among family variables and BPD symptomatology were also found. In summary, findings underscore the significance of comprehending the complexity of family relationships in BPD while advocating for a relational perspective when examining the family dynamics.

Infant carrying may have beneficial effects on the parent-infant relationship but only limited research has been conducted in this area. Therefore, the main aim of the current study was to investigate whether infant carrying is associated with parental reflective functioning, parental bonding, and parental (emotional) and behavioral responses to infant crying, key elements within the parent-infant relationship, promoting infant development. Parents reporting high levels (N = 389) of infant carrying (six times a week or daily) and parents reporting low levels (N = 128) of infant carrying (less than once a week or not at all) who participated in an online survey about the developing parent-infant relationship in Germany were included in the present study. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess parental reflective functioning, parental bonding impairments, and emotional responses to infant crying. Further insensitive (non-responsive and hostile) behaviors in response to infant crying were assessed. Parents with high levels of infant carrying showed better parental reflective functioning, lower parental bonding problems, less negative emotions, and less insensitive behaviors in response to infant crying.
Cargar al infante pudiera tener efectos beneficiosos para la relación progenitor‐infante, pero sólo una limitada investigación se ha llevado a cabo en esta área. Por tanto, el objetivo principal del presente estudio fue investigar si cargar al infante se asocia con que el funcionamiento con reflexión del progenitor, los lazos de afectividad del progenitor, así como las respuestas de comportamiento (emocional) del progenitor al llanto del infante, elementos claves dentro de la relación progenitor‐infante, promueven el desarrollo del infante. Se incluyó en el presente estudio a los progenitores que reportaron altos niveles (N=389) de llanto del infante (seis veces por semana o diariamente) y a los progenitores que reportaron bajos niveles (N=128) del llanto del infante (menos de una vez por semana o nunca), quienes participaron en una encuesta electrónica acerca de la relación progenitor‐infante en desarrollo, en Alemania. Se usaron cuestionarios estandarizados para evaluar el funcionamiento con reflexión del progenitor, los impedimentos de lazos afectivos del progenitor, así como las respuestas emocionales al llanto del infante. Se evaluaron además comportamientos insensibles (sin respuesta afectiva y hostil) como respuesta al llanto del infante. Los progenitores con altos niveles de cargar al infante demostraron un mejor funcionamiento con reflexión del progenitor, más bajos problemas en cuanto a lazos de afectividad del progenitor, menos emociones negativas y menos comportamientos insensibles como respuesta al llanto del infante.
Porter un bébé peut avoir des effets bénéfiques sur la relation parent‐bébé mais il n\'existe que peu de recherches sur ce domaine. C\'est pour cette raison que le but principal de cette étude était d\'investiguer si le fait de porter un bébé est lié avec une fonction réflexive parentale, le lien parental et les réactions parentales (émotionnelles) et comportementales aux pleurs du bébé, des éléments clef au sein de la relation parent‐bébé, promouvant le développement du bébé. Les parents faisant état de niveaux élevés (N=389) de portage du bébé (six fois par semaine ou tous les jours) et les parents faisant état de niveaux bas (N=128) de portage du bébé (moins d\'une semaine ou pas du tout) qui ont participé à un questionnaire en ligne sur la relation parent‐bébé se développant en Allemagne ont été inclus dans cette étude. Des questionnaires standardisés ont été utilisés afin d’évaluer la fonction réflexive parentale, les troubles du lien parental, et les réactions émotionnelles aux pleurs du bébé. D\'autres comportement insensibles (non‐réactifs et hostile) en réaction aux pleurs du bébé ont été évalués. Les parents avec des niveaux élevés de portage du bébé ont fait preuve d\'une meilleure fonction réflexive parentale, de moins de problèmes de lien parental, de moins d’émotions négatives, et de moins de comportements insensibles en réaction aux pleurs du bébé.
Das Tragen von Säuglingen: Assoziationen mit der elterlichen Reflexionsfähigkeit, elterlichem Bonding und elterlichen Reaktionen auf das Schreien des Säuglings Das Tragen von Säuglingen kann sich positiv auf die Eltern‐Säuglings‐Beziehung auswirken, allerdings wurden in diesem Bereich bisher nur wenige Studien durchgeführt. Daher war das Hauptziel der vorliegenden Studie, zu untersuchen, ob das Tragen von Säuglingen mit der elterlichen Reflexionsfähigkeit, dem elterlichen Bonding und den elterlichen (emotionalen) und verhaltensbezogenen Reaktionen auf das Schreien des Säuglings ‐ also mit Schlüsselelementen der Eltern‐Säuglings‐Beziehung, die die Entwicklung des Säuglings fördern – assoziiert ist. In die vorliegende Studie wurden Eltern eingeschlossen, die an einer Online‐Umfrage über die Entwicklung der Eltern‐Säuglings‐Beziehung in Deutschland teilgenommen hatten und berichteten, dass sie ihr Kind in hohem Maße (N=389) (sechsmal pro Woche oder täglich) und in geringem Maße (N= 128) (weniger als einmal pro Woche oder gar nicht) trugen. Standardisierte Fragebögen wurden verwendet, um die elterliche Reflexionsfähigkeit, die Beeinträchtigung des elterlichen Bondings und die emotionalen Reaktionen auf das Schreien des Säuglings zu erfassen. Außerdem wurden unsensible (nicht reagierende und feindselige) Verhaltensweisen als Reaktion auf das Schreien des Säuglings untersucht. Eltern, die ihre Säuglinge oft trugen, zeigten eine bessere Reflexionsfähigkeit, weniger Probleme mit dem Bonding, weniger negative Emotionen und weniger unsensible Verhaltensweisen als Reaktion auf das Schreien des Säuglings.
乳児の抱っこ:親の省察機能、親のボンディング、乳児が泣いていることに対する親の反応との関連性 乳児の抱っこは親‐子関係性に有益な効果をもたらす可能性があるが、この領域での研究は限定的である。したがって、本研究の主な目的は、乳児の抱っこが、乳幼児の発達を促進する親‐子関係における重要な要素である、親の省察機能、親のボンディング、乳児が泣いていることに対する親の(情緒的)反応や行動的反応との関連性を検証することであった。本研究では、ドイツにおける親‐子関係に関するオンライン調査に参加した、乳児の抱っこ水準を高く(週6回または毎日)と報告した親(N=389)と、乳児の抱っこ水準を低く(週1回以下または全くしない)と報告した親(N=128)を対象とした。標準化された質問票を用いて、親の省察機能、親のボンディング障害、乳児が泣いていることに対する情動反応を評価した。さらに、乳児の泣き声に対する鈍感な行動(無反応と敵意)を評価した。乳児を高水準で抱っこしている親は、親の省察機能が高く、親のボンデイングの問題が低く、否定的感情が少なく、乳児の泣き声に対する無神経な行動が少なかった。.
携带婴儿可能对亲子关系产生有益影响, 但在这方面仅进行了有限的研究。因此, 本研究的主要目的是调查携带婴儿是否与父母反思功能、父母关系、父母对婴儿哭泣情感上的和行为上的反应有关(亲子关系中促进婴儿发育的关键要素)。参与德国关于发展亲子关系在线调查时报告携带婴儿水平较高(每周6次或每天)的父母(N=389)和报告携带婴儿水平较低(周不到1次或根本不携带)的父母(N= 128)被纳入本研究。采用标准化问卷评估了父母反思功能、父母关系障碍, 以及对婴儿哭泣的情感反应。此外, 还评估了对婴儿哭泣的不敏感(不响应和敌意)行为。携带婴儿水平高的父母表现出更好的父母反思功能、更少的父母关系问题、更少的负面情绪, 以及更少对婴儿哭泣的不敏感行为。.
حمل الرضيع: الارتباطات مع الأداء التأملي للوالدين، وتكوين الترابط الوالدي، واستجابات الوالدين لبكاء الرضيع قد يكون لحمل الرضيع آثار مفيدة على العلاقة بين الوالدين والرضيع، ولكن لم يتم إجراء سوى أبحاث محدودة في هذا المجال. لذلك، كان الهدف الرئيسي من الدراسة الحالية هو معرفة ما إذا كان حمل الرضيع يرتبط بالأداء التأملي للوالدين، وتكوين الترابط الوالدي، والاستجابات الوالدية (العاطفية) والسلوكية لبكاء الرضيع، والعناصر الأساسية في العلاقة بين الوالدين والرضيع، وتعزيز نمو الرضيع. اشترك في الدراسة مجموعة من الآباء الذين أبلغوا عن مستويات عالية (العدد = 389) لحمل الرضع (ست مرات في الأسبوع أو يوميًا) والآباء الذين أبلغوا عن مستويات منخفضة (العدد = 128) لحمل الرضع (أقل من مرة واحدة في الأسبوع أو لا على الإطلاق) والذين شاركوا في استطلاع عبر الإنترنت في ألمانيا حول نمو العلاقة بين الرضيع والوالدين. واستخدمت استبيانات موحدة لتقييم الأداء التأملي للوالدين، وضعف الترابط الأبوي، والاستجابات العاطفية لبكاء الرضع. وتم تقييم المزيد من السلوكيات غير الحساسة (غير المستجيبة والعدائية) استجابة لبكاء الرضع. أظهر الآباء الذين لديهم مستويات عالية من حمل الأطفال أداءً تأملياً أفضل للآباء، ومشاكل أقل في تكوين الترابط الوالدي، ومشاعر سلبية أقل، وسلوكيات أقل حساسية استجابةً لبكاء الرضيع.

Childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for loneliness and is linked to breast cancer. Parental bonding experienced during one\'s childhood also plays a significant role in increasing or decreasing the risk of loneliness later in life. Previous research has highlighted the significance of ambivalence over emotional expression (AEE) and self-discrepancy in the psychological adaptation of breast cancer patients, particularly concerning the impact of parental care and control experienced by patients in their relationship with their parents during childhood. Nevertheless, previous studies have not examined the mediating effects of AEE and self-discrepancy on parental care and control, as well as loneliness, in breast cancer patients. This study aimed to investigate whether AEE and self-discrepancy mediate the association of childhood parental care and control with loneliness in breast cancer patients with a history of childhood maltreatment. One hundred and thirty-three breast cancer patients who were receiving chemotherapy within the first 3 months post-diagnosis were recruited from one private and three public hospitals in Tabriz, Iran, to complete questionnaires. Parental bonding, loneliness, AEE, and self-discrepancy were assessed using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale, Ambivalence over the Expression of Emotion Questionnaire (AEQ), and Self-Discrepancies Scale (S-DS). Mediation models were tested using structural equation modeling. Effects of parental care (β = -.17, p < .05) and control (β = .21, p < .001) on loneliness were significant. Furthermore, both AEE (β = .19, p < .05) and self-discrepancy (β = .23, p < .01) significantly predicted loneliness. The pathway between parental care and AEE was significant (β = -.21, p < .001), as was the direct effect of parental control on self-discrepancy (β = .19, p < .05). Bootstrapping results showed that AEE significantly mediated the relationship between parental care and loneliness (95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.09, -0.01]). In addition, there was a significant indirect effect from parental control to loneliness via self-discrepancy (95% CI [0.11, 0.01]). These findings suggest that AEE and self-discrepancy could potentially be utilized in preventing or addressing loneliness in breast cancer patients who have a history of childhood maltreatment. Future research could, for example, assess whether integrating psychosocial interventions focusing on these variables as part of medical care can improve the mental health status of this subgroup of breast cancer patients who have experienced childhood maltreatment.

Early positive bonding between parents and babies promotes the development of parenting skills and parents\' sensitivity to their infant\'s needs. Positive bonding has been suggested to decrease the risk of maltreatment. There is less research into the differences between primiparae\'s and their spouses\' bonding with their baby and changes in the parent-to-infant bonding during the first year of the baby\'s life. The aim of this study was to describe bonding with one\'s baby and related differences and changes within first-time parents. The data were collected from nine maternal health clinics in 2019-2021 in one city in Finland. The Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used. The data were collected during pregnancy (T1) and when the baby was aged 1-2 months (T2) and 6-8 months (T3). The questionnaire was completed separately by the primiparae (n = 81 at T1) and their spouses (n = 79 at T1). The findings demonstrated that both parents had positive feelings for their baby. The primiparae\'s and their spouses\' MIBS scores were relatively low at T2 and T3. The change between time points or the difference in the parents\' bonding was not statistically significant when examining MIBS total scores. The present study identified a positive weak-to-moderate correlation between the MIBS and EPDS. This association was highlighted in the group of primiparae. The results of this study can be used to develop maternity and child health clinic services, and to promote parents\' equal growth in parenthood.

Criticism is a form of interpersonal social rejection and destructive conflict behavior which has been associated with poor relationship outcomes in both parent-child and marital relationships. However, the role of the individual\'s perceptions of parental and spousal criticism in influencing the perceptions of criticism of other members in the family unit has not been examined. This study investigated the associations between parental bonding and perceptions of parental and spousal criticism across generations in Singapore. In all, 134 Singaporean married parent dyads (G2) and one child (G3) of each dyad were recruited. G2 parent participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G1) and spouses, the Parental Bonding Instrument and the Quality of Marriage Index. G3 children participants completed the Perceived Criticism measure for their parents (G2). Path analysis found that G2 perceptions of parental bonding were significant predictors of G2\'s perceptions of G1 parental criticism, which significantly predicted both G2\'s perceptions of spousal criticism and G3\'s perceptions of G2 parental criticism. Perceptions of spousal criticism were also found to predict marital relationship quality in G2 participants. Findings highlight the intergenerational transmission of perceptions of criticism across relationships in the family unit, providing support that parenting practices and communication patterns in one generation can predict those in the next generation in the Singaporean context. Future studies can look to replicate the findings in other cultures and include further investigations into sibling relationships as well.

A parenting style with high amounts of control combined with low caring or nurturing behaviour has been reported in association with mental disorders including schizophrenia. However, the association of parenting style with illness severity in individuals with schizophrenia has never been evaluated retrospectively or over a longitudinal time course. In a subset (n = 84) of the participants included in the AESOP (Aetiology and Ethnicity in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses)-10 study, we evaluated participants\' perceptions of their own parents\' bonding style at the time of their first episode of psychosis using the parental bonding instrument (PBI). We then examined the association between different bonding styles, illness course and severity, and global functioning over a 10-year follow-up. Participants who perceived that their fathers had a more caring and less controlling parenting style showed better functioning at follow-up. However, in contrast to previous research, participants who reported having been subject to uncaring and controlling parenting styles were not found to have a notably worse course of illness or symptom severity over the follow-up period. These results indicate that more optimal parental bonding styles may be associated with better overall functioning in individuals with psychosis but not with other measures of illness outcome.

Parental nurturing, including maternal and paternal caring and discussing ethics, is likely to predict violence perpetration in the youth negatively. This prediction stands on social bond theory, which specifies that parents and their bonding are crucial to curb violence perpetration. Nevertheless, the prediction is unclear from adolescence to young adulthood. To clarify this, the present study examines the effects over 6 years, using the panel data of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health on 3,947 U.S. youths. The examination controlled for prior violence perpetration and, thus, its confounding factors. Results showed that paternal nurturing but not maternal nurturing at Wave 1 and Wave 2 consistently displayed statistically significant inverse effects on violence perpetration at Wave 3. However, the significant effects were very weak. Paternal nurturing was very weakly inversely predictive of youth violence perpetration 6 years later. This conclusion implies that promoting paternal nurturing is slightly but not tremendously helpful to prevent violence perpetration in youth later. Meanwhile, practice can capitalize on the features of paternal bonding to deploy male nurturing and role modeling for such prevention.