Scholarly Commons

The Effects of Parent Attachment and Parenting Styles on Decision-Making in College Students

College students face many decisions that can shape the course of their future lives. The impact of personality on decision-making is well researched; little research explores the impact of parent attachment and parenting styles. Students (N = 80) at a small liberal arts university participated in a survey study that explored the effects of two personality variables, parent attachment, and parenting styles on decision-making in college students. We hypothesized that high levels of conscientiousness, impulse control, and authoritative parenting, and low levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance, would predict positive decision-making styles. Regression analyses revealed that results for conscientiousness, impulse control, and attachment avoidance were consistent with predictions. Parenting styles also emerged as predictors but not always in the expected direction. Our regressions explained 23%-36% of the variance for four of the five decision-making styles. We believe the impact of parent attachment and parenting styles on decision-making warrants further exploration.