Parental Divorce: The Effect on Sex-role Identification and Perceived Parental Bonding

SynopsisThe present study investigated the effects of divorce on the relationship between parental bonding and sex-role identification. Five hundred and ninety-four adult female volunteers between the ages of 24 and 40 completed the Personal Attributes Questionnaire and the Parental Bonding Instrument. Results indicated that the pattern of care and overprotection received from both mothers and fathers was similar to those configurations found in other studies. When subjects whose parents had been divorced were investigated, main effects for parental divorce on both perceived mother and father care were found. Subjects whose parents had been divorced reported significantly lower levels of perceived parental care when compared to subjects whose parents had not been divorced. Implications and future research directions are suggested.