The impact of parental attachment styles on the expression of personality traits among emerging adults: a study of UK university students

Prior research indicates that attachment to primary caregivers significantly influences individuals’ personality traits and exerts lasting effects on their interpersonal relationships in adulthood. This study investigated the impact of parental attachment styles to primary caregivers on the Big-Five Personality traits during the period of Emerging Adulthood. Participants (N = 184) comprised students enrolled at an English University utilising convenience sampling. Using a quantitative methodology, a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to examine the relationship between parental attachment styles (Secure, Insecure, and Avoidant) and the Big-Five-Personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism). Participants completed two online questionnaires (The Big-Five Inventory Scale (BFI) and The Adult Scale of Parental Attachment – Short Form) to measure the effects of parental attachment style to a primary caregiver on the Big-Five Personality traits. The results revealed a statistically significant main effect of parental attachment style on the Big-Five Personality traits in emerging adults, with Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism showing notable significance. Furthermore, a gender-based comparison between those reporting a male or female primary caregiver presented similar results, particularly for female primary caregivers. These findings explain the essential role of primary caregivers in shaping their children’s development, providing valuable insights that may assist primary caregivers in better understanding their impact on their children’s future lives. This study contributes to our understanding of the manifestation of personality traits across the lifespan. It could act as a catalyst for future research investigating personality manifestation at critical periods across the lifespan.