University of AmsterdamUniversity of AmsterdamUvA

  • Terms of use
  • Contact

UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository)

  • Home
  • Advanced Search
  • Browse
  • My selection

Search UvA-DARE

Author
E.M. Merz
S. Jak
Year
2013
Title
The long reach of childhood. Childhood experiences influence close relationships and loneliness across life
Journal
Advances in Life Course Research
Volume | Issue number
18 | 3
Pages (from-to)
212-222
Document type
Article
Faculty
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG)
Institute
Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE)
Abstract
This paper intends to gain insight into the role of childhood relationships and experiences within the parental home for the formation and meaning of later family relationships and loneliness. Particularly, childhood attachment to mother and father and stressful childhood experiences were studied in their association with satisfaction in the romantic relationship, the quality of adult family ties and the perceived quality of the social network, i.e. loneliness in adulthood. Based on data from the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (N = 3980) structural equation models were estimated to predict adult relationships and loneliness with childhood experiences. Positive attachment experiences with parents, such as reliability, closeness and supportiveness during childhood were associated with greater satisfaction in the romantic relationship, stronger family ties and less loneliness, whereas stressful childhood experiences, such as conflicts and violence negatively predicted the quality of adult relationships. Life span theoretical perspectives, such as attachment theory are discussed as useful unifying framework to study social relationships, their interconnectedness and association with outcome during all phases of life.
URL
go to publisher's site
Language
English
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/11245/1.400186

Disclaimer/Complaints regulations

If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library, or send a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible.

PrintPrint this pageShareShare via emailShare on facebookShare on linkedinShare on twitter
  • University library
  • About UvA-DARE
  • Disclaimer
Copyright UvA 2014