Parental Bonding as Predictor of Couple Satisfaction among Young Adults

Early parent-child relationships are widely believed to shape individuals' attachment styles and influence their later romantic relationships. Parental bonding, in particular, is often theorized to impact how individuals experience intimacy, trust, and satisfaction in adulthood. This study investigates the extent to which Parental Bonding predicts Couple Satisfaction among Young Adults, utilizing the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI)—administered separately for mother and father—and the Couple Satisfaction Index (CSI-16). The results revealed a strong positive correlation between maternal and paternal bonding, indicating consistent perceptions of parenting style. However, both maternal and paternal bonding showed a very low negative correlation with couple satisfaction. Furthermore, regression analysis demonstrated that parental bonding accounted for less than 20% of the variance in couple satisfaction, indicating a weak predictive relationship. These findings suggest that while parental bonding styles may be internally consistent, their direct influence on adult romantic satisfaction is minimal. The study underscores the complexity of romantic relationship dynamics and suggests that other psychosocial factors may play a more significant role in shaping couple satisfaction among young adults.