Perceived Paternal Acceptance-Rejection as a Mediator of the Association Between Perceived Maternal Acceptance-Rejection and Psychological Adjustment: Effect of Gender
Results suggest paternal acceptance-rejection partially mediates this relationship for both genders, impacting positive self-adequacy, emotional responsiveness, and positive worldview.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The present study explores the mediating role of perceived paternal acceptance-rejection on the association between perceived maternal acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment and its gender-related facets among 551 secondary school students aged 11 to 15.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Results suggest paternal acceptance-rejection partially mediates this relationship for both genders, impacting positive self-adequacy, emotional responsiveness, and positive worldview.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:However, it does not affect self-esteem for either gender.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory · maternal acceptance-rejection · paternal acceptance-rejection
Abstract
The present study explores the mediating role of perceived paternal acceptance-rejection on the association between perceived maternal acceptance-rejection and psychological adjustment and its gender-related facets among 551 secondary school students aged 11 to 15. Results suggest paternal acceptance-rejection partially mediates this relationship for both genders, impacting positive self-adequacy, emotional responsiveness, and positive worldview. It partially mediates hostility and emotional stability for females and fully mediates for males. However, it does not affect self-esteem for either gender.
Olgaç, D., Gürsoy, B. E., Özen, D. Ş., *, D. Ş. Ö. (2025). Perceived Paternal Acceptance-Rejection as a Mediator of the Association Between Perceived Maternal Acceptance-Rejection and Psychological Adjustment: Effect of Gender. Türk Psikolojik Danışma ve Rehberlik Dergisi, Volume: 15 Issue: 77. https://doi.org/10.17066/tpdrd.1464408
Ali, S., Khaleque, A., Rohner, R. P. (2015). Pancultural gender differences in the relation between perceived parental acceptance and psychological adjustment of children and adult offspring: A meta-analytic review of worldwide research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(8), 1059-1080. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022115597754
Amat, P. R. (1986). Father involvement and the self-esteem of children and adolescents. Australian Journal of Sex, Marriage and Family, 7(1), 6-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01591487.1986.11004335.
Ansari, Z. A. (2002). Parental acceptance-rejection of disabled children in non-urban Pakistan. North American Journal of Psychology, 4(1), 121-128.
Antonopoulou, K., Alexopoulos, D. A., & Maridaki-Kassotaki, K. (2012). Perceptions of father parenting style, empathy, and self-esteem among Greek preadolescents. Marriage & Family Review, 48(3), 293-309. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2012.665016
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173- 1182. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173
Bowlby, J. (1951). Maternal care and mental health (Vol. 2). Geneva: World Health Organization.
Daniel, E., Madigan, S., & Jenkins, J. (2016). Paternal and maternal warmth and the development of prosociality among preschoolers. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(1), 114. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/fam0000120
Droppleman, L. F., & Schaefer, E. S. (1963). Boys’ and girls’ reports of maternal and paternal behavior. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(6), 648. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0043970.
Finley, G. E., Mira, S. D., & Schwartz, S. J. (2008). Perceived paternal and maternal involvement: Factor structures, mean differences, and parental roles. Fathering, 6(1), 62. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.3149/fth.0601.62.
Freud, S. (1942). Outline of Psychoanalysis. The Psychoanalytic Review (1913-1957), 29, 197. Fritz, M. S., & Mackinnon, D. P. (2007). Required sample size to detect the mediated effect. Psychological science, 18(3), 233–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01882.x
Gürmen, M. S., & Rohner, R. P. (2014). Effects of marital distress on Turkish adolescents’ psychological adjustment. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 23(7), 1155-1162. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1007/s10826-013-9773-7.
Hayes, A. F. (2013). Methodology in the social sciences. Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. Guilford Press.
Hussain, S., & Munaf S., (2012). Gender difference in perceived childhood father rejection and psychological adjustment in adulthood. Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 22(1), 100.
Keizer, R., Helmerhorst, K. O., & van Rijn-van Gelderen, L. (2019). Perceived quality of the mother–Adolescent and Father–Adolescent attachment relationship and adolescents’ self-esteem. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(6), 1203-1217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01007-0.
Khaleque, A., & Ali, S. (2017). A systematic review of meta‐analyses of research on interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory: Constructs and measures. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 9(4), 441-458. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12228
Khaleque, A., & Rohner, R. P. (2012). Pancultural associations between perceived parental acceptance and psychological adjustment of children and adults: A meta-analytic review of worldwide research. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 43(5), 784-800. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022022111406120.
Malka, A., & Miller, D. T. (2007). Political‐Economic Values and the Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Self‐Esteem. Journal of Personality, 75(1), 25-42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2006.00431.x.
Nilsson E. L. (2017). Analysing Gender Differences in the Relationship between Family Influences and Adolescent Offending among Boys and Girls. Child Indicators Research, 10(4), 1079–1094. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-016-9435-6.
Palm, G. (2014). Attachment theory and fathers: Moving from “being there” to “being with”. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 6(4), 282-297. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/jftr.12045.
Polat, A. S. (1988). Parental acceptance-rejection. [Unpublished master thesis]. Boğaziçi University, Istanbul.
Preacher, K. J. & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879.
Putnick, D. L., Bornstein, M. H., Lansford, J. E., Malone, P. S., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Tapanya, S., Uribe Tirado, L. M., Zelli, A., Alampay, L. P., Al-Hassan, S. M., Bacchini, D., Bombi, A. S., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., & Oburu, P. (2015). Perceived mother and father acceptance-rejection predict four unique aspects of child adjustment across nine countries. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 56(8), 923–932. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12366
Rohner, R. P. (1978). Development and Validation of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire: Test Manual.
Rohner, R. P. (1986). The warmth dimension: Foundations of parental acceptance-rejection theory. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Rohner, R. P. (2005). Glossary of significant concepts in parental acceptance-rejection theory (PARTheory). Retrieved on October 25, 2010.
Rohner, R. P. (2014). Parental Power and Prestige Moderate the Relationship Between Perceived Parental Acceptance and Offspring’s Psychological Adjustment Introduction to the International Father Acceptance–Rejection Project. Cross-Cultural Research, 48(3), 197-213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1069397114528295.
Rohner, R. P. (2016). Introduction to interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory (IPARTheory), methods, evidence, and implications. Retrieved April 12, 2016. https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1055.
Rohner, R. P., & Khaleque, A. (Eds.) (2005) Handbook for the study of parental acceptance and rejection (4th ed.). Storrs, CT: Rohner Research Publications.
Rohner, R. P., Khaleque, A., & Cournoyer, D. E. (2005). Parental acceptance rejection: Theory, methods, cross-cultural evidence, and implications. Ethos, 33(3), 299-334. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1525/eth.2005.33.3.299.
Rohner, R., Khaleque, A., & Cournoyer, D. E. (2012). Introduction to Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory, methods, evidence, and implications. Cross-Cultural Research, 42(1), 5-12.
Sultana, S., & Khaleque, A. (2016). Differential effects of perceived maternal and paternal acceptance on male and female adult offspring’s psychological adjustment. Gender Issues, 33(1), 42-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12147-015-9147-0.