CHILDHOOD EMOTIONAL BONDS WITH PARENTS, DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT SOCIAL COMPETENCES, AND AVAILABILITY OF SOCIAL SUPPORT

Counselors often assume that clients' social support deficits are due to insufficient resources in their environment. This study examined the hypothesis that poor parental bonds in childhood lead to adult social competency deficits that are in part responsible for low social support. Survey data were collected from 253 undergraduates to measure (a) social support; (b) social competencies, general and social self-efficacy, and internal/external attributions for social outcomes; and (c) memories of care and overprotection in emotional bonds with parents. Care involves emotional responsiveness, warmth, and attention to childhood needs. Overprotection involves intrusive control and resistance to attempts to gain independence. Results indicated that parental bonds were positively related to self-efficacy, especially care with social self-efficacy. Parental bonds and social competencies predicted 35% of the sample variance in social support.