The Relationship Between Overparenting and Social Avoidance Among Emerging Adults: Mediating Role of Peer Attachment and Gender Differences

Purpose: We aim to explore the relationship between overparenting and social avoidance among emerging adults, and the mediating effects of peer attachment and gender differences. Participants and Methods: A total of 1161 Chinese college students completed the questionnaire. The structural equation model was established to validate the main effect model and the mediation model. Results: The results found that both paternal and maternal overparenting positively predicted social avoidance among emerging adults. Both attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety played a significant mediating role in the relationship between paternal overparenting and social avoidance. Attachment anxiety played a significant mediating role in the relationship between maternal overparenting and social avoidance, while, the mediating effect of attachment avoidance was not significant. In addition, gender differences were found in the mediating effects of peer attachment. The mediating effect of attachment anxiety in males' families had an opposite-gender matching effect, while in females' families, the mediating effect of attachment avoidance had an opposite-gender matching effect. Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of the effects of overparenting on emerging adults, enriching empirical research in related fields. Keywords: overparenting, social avoidance, peer attachment, gender differences, emerging adults