Perceived parental attitudes and self-disclosure behavior in romantic relationships

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between individuals' perceived parenting styles and their levels of self-disclosure in romantic relationships. The sample consisted of 254 participants aged between 18 and 34, of whom 55% were female and 45% were male. Participants completed measures assessing self-disclosure in romantic relationships and perceived parental attitudes. Analysis results indicated that gender-based differences were significant only in the dimension of sexual intimacy, with male participants scoring higher in this domain. Compared to male participants, female participants perceived their fathers as more emotionally warm, overprotective, and restricted/emotionally inhibited. Those who perceived their parents as highly emotionally warm reported higher levels of self-disclosure than those with lower perceptions of warmth. Additionally, perceived emotional warmth was negatively associated with dysfunctional parenting styles. In the regression analyses, paternal rejection and maternal emotional deprivation emerged as significant negative predictors of self-disclosure. Sexual intimacy was found to be significantly associated only with maternal emotional deprivation. Unexpectedly, a positive relationship was observed between maternal rejection and emotional intimacy. These findings highlight the influential role of parenting styles on self-disclosure behaviors within romantic relationships. Paternal rejection and maternal emotional deprivation significantly affect young adults' self-disclosure in intimate relationships.