LE3 .A278 2020

2020

Price, Lisa

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Psychology

Psychology

To better understand how experiences of caregiver sensitivity relate to adult’s psychosocial functioning, 299 adults completed an anonymous online survey that asked about caregiver sensitivity in childhood, adult relationship attachment, and various psychosocial factors, such as mood. Generally, it was predicted that high levels of caregiver sensitivity in childhood, retrospectively reported, would provide the foundation for healthy psychosocial functioning regardless of adult attachment style. Data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regressions with bootstrapping. Higher levels of caregiver sensitivity were associated with coping through social support and lower levels of depression, anxiety, family loneliness, and social loneliness in adulthood. The data also supported that developing a secure attachment relationship in adulthood, when caregiver sensitivity was lower in childhood, may be able to buffer more severe mental health symptoms and loneliness. The present study concluded that high caregiver sensitivity is associated withhealthy psychosocial functioning in adulthood

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3433