Parent-Child Relations, Ego Identity Exploration, and Self-Esteem in Emerging Adulthood

Parent-Child Relations, Ego Identity Exploration, and Self-Esteem in Emerging Adulthood

Alvin Sherman Library

Self-esteem has long been a central focus of psychological research, with positive development linked to factors such as academic achievement, peer relationships, and parent-child bonds. Sub-optimal parent-child relationships, however, can negatively impact self-esteem. While prior studies have largely emphasized extrinsic buffers (e.g., peer support) that mitigate these effects, less is known about intrinsic factors that may promote adjustment in the context of sub-optimal parenting. Emerging adulthood, a period characterized by identity exploration, may provide such intrinsic resources. This study examines whether ego identity exploration moderates the relationship between parent-child relationship quality and self-esteem in emerging adults. Participants were 132 emerging adults (ages 18-25, M = 20.34, 103 women). Parent-child relationships were assessed using the IPPA (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987), measuring trust, communication, and alienation. Ego identity exploration was measured using seven items from the IDEA scale (Reifman, Arnett, & Colwell, 2007), and self-esteem was measured with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory (1965). Hierarchical regression analyses examined whether identity exploration moderated the links between parent relationships and self-esteem, controlling for age and sex. Results indicated that ego identity exploration significantly moderated the relationship between parent-child relationship quality and self-esteem, suggesting that exploration during emerging adulthood may buffer the negative effects of sub-optimal parenting. Although these findings are correlational and causal interpretations are limited, they highlight the importance of considering both intrinsic and extrinsic factors in understanding self-esteem development during emerging adulthood.