The Ties That Shape Us: Parental Attachment, Quality of Friendship and Psychological Adjustment in College Students

Abstract

Parental attachment and peer relationships are pivotal in shaping psychological adjustment during emerging adulthood. College students, undergoing significant developmental transitions, rely heavily on both family bonds and quality friendships for emotional and social stability. The present study was conducted with the aim to find the correlation among parental attachment, quality of friendship and psychological adjustment in college students. A correlation research design, along with a purposive sampling technique, was used to collect data from college students. The sample comprised 250 college students (females = 125, males = 125), aged between 15 to 19 years, recruited from government and private colleges in Lahore by using three self-report measures. The results indicated a significant positive relationship among psychological adjustment, friendship quality, and parental connection. Mother attachment and friendship quality were found to be significant positive predictors of psychological adjustment by multiple regression analysis. Additionally, males showed a higher level of psychological adjustment. Also, students from private institutions reported higher levels of psychological adjustment compared to those from government institutions. This study demonstrated that college students who have better parental attachment and better friendship quality are more psychologically adjusted.