Parent-Child Relationships in Poland and Germany: A Retrospective Study

The Childhood Questionnaire (CQ) was designed for adults to retrospectively describe their relationships with their parents. A cross-national survey was performed to test the intelligibility and precision of the questions and to explore cultural differences. A short version of the CQ was administered to two samples via Internet, one each in Poland and Germany. It contained four dimensions concerning each parent: perceived love, control, ambition and role reversal, all of which could be assessed reliably in both Poland and Germany. It was concluded that the Childhood Questionnaire is suitable for research in both countries. Characteristic differences between the respondents of the two countries can be explained as a function of history.