The mediating role of love and belonging needs in the relationship between perceptions of parental acceptance and rejection and general sense of belonging

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of the need for love and belonging in the effect of perceived parental acceptance-rejection levels on the general sense of belonging in young adults. The study group consisted of 286 young adults (199 female, 87 male) between the ages of 18-40. Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection Scale Short Form (Mother and Father), Basic Needs Scale Based on Choice Theory - Love and Belonging Subscale, General Belonging Scale and demographic information form prepared by the researcher were used to collect data. In the analysis of the data, independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied for comparisons between groups; Bonferroni corrected post-hoc tests were preferred in cases where there was a significant difference. Cohen's d and eta squared (η²) coefficients were calculated for effect size. The relationships between variables were analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficient and path analysis was applied within the scope of structural equation modeling to test causal relationships. According to the research findings, significant relationships were found between perceived parental acceptance-rejection levels and general belongingness. According to the findings obtained as a result of the mediation analysis conducted with Mplus, it was observed that both maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection perception had significant and indirect effects on the two dimensions of the perception of belonging through the need to love and belong. The model explains 47% of the variance of the acceptance-inclusion variable, 41% of the variance of the rejection-exclusion variable and 36% of the need to love and belong. These findings show that especially the mother's acceptance-rejection attitude has a stronger and holistic effect on the basic psychological needs and belonging experiences of the individual. In addition, the need for love and belonging was found to play a significant mediating role in the relationship between perceived level of parental acceptance-rejection and general belongingness. The findings reveal that early parental attitudes and the need for love and belonging have a determining effect on the development of individuals' sense of belonging. The results of the research were discussed within the framework of the literature and recommendations were presented.