Parent-children relationships are key to lifelong well-being

The connection between early life experiences and mental health has long been a focus of psychological research. Central to these early experiences is the bond between children and their parents, a core concept in attachment theory and various other psychological frameworks. 

Research has consistently shown that the quality of these relationships significantly influences subjective well-being into adulthood. However, most studies to date have been limited to small, localized samples, often confined to a single country.

In a recent study published in Communications Psychology, Jonathan T. Rothwell and Telli Davoodi, two researchers at Gallup, investigated this relationship on a much larger and more diverse scale, analyzing data from 21 countries. 

The findings suggest that the quality of parent-child relationships universally predicts adult well-being.

A broader perspective on parenting and well-being

“I worked in psychiatric treatment facilities and clinics during college and saw many examples of the profound effect that family conflict has on the mental health of adolescents and adults,” Rothwell said. 

This experience, combined with concerns over rising mental health issues among adolescents in the United States, inspired Rothwell to explore the role of parenting practices over generations.

Rothwell and Davoodi initially conducted a U.S.-based study that linked parenting practices, parent-child relationship quality, and youth mental health. 

Building on these findings, the experts expanded their research to include a global perspective, analyzing 200,000 interviews and surveys collected from adults in 21 countries. 

The goal was to examine the connection between childhood parenting experiences and adult well-being while accounting for cultural, religious, and socioeconomic diversity.

Quality of parent-child relationships 

Participants were asked about their childhood relationships with their parents, including whether they felt loved by their mother or father, the overall quality of these relationships, and whether they ever felt like outsiders in their families. 

These responses were compiled into an index measuring the quality of parent-child relationships.

To assess adult well-being, the researchers used 19 questions focusing on participants’ levels of hope, gratitude, and satisfaction with health and virtue. 

Examples of these statements included: “Despite challenges, I always remain hopeful about the future,” and “If I had to list everything that I am grateful for, it would be a long list.”

Additionally, the study included seven mental health indicators, primarily focusing on clinical symptoms such as anxiety and sadness.

The researchers also collected data on socioeconomic factors, parental religiosity, and participants’ current economic and family contexts to understand how these variables interacted with parenting experiences.

Parent-child relationships and adult flourishing

The study revealed a strong, universal link between positive parent-child relationships and adult well-being. 

“We found a substantial effect of parent-child relationships on both flourishing and mental health,” Rothwell said. 

This effect was larger than any other variable tested, including socioeconomic status, education level, income, gender, and financial security.

Remarkably, the positive association between parent-child relationships and adult flourishing was observed across all countries in the sample. 

Only one country failed to meet conventional levels of statistical significance, which the researchers attributed to the younger population surveyed there. After adjusting for age distribution, even this outlier conformed to the overall trend.

The researchers also found that the influence of parent-child relationships on well-being was more pronounced in higher-income and secular countries. 

In these regions, where basic needs like food and shelter are typically met, the quality of family relationships appears to play a larger role in determining individual happiness.

The role of religion 

An intriguing finding was the role of parental religiosity. “Our main secondary finding is that more religious parents tend to have better relationships with their children in every country in our sample,” Rothwell noted. 

This may explain why lower-income, more religious countries scored higher on flourishing indexes despite facing greater economic challenges.

This observation raises critical cultural questions. As societies develop and become more secular, there is a risk of losing traditional parenting wisdom that fosters strong family bonds. 

Rothwell emphasized the importance of preserving these practices while navigating societal change.

Implications and future research

The findings underscore the profound and lasting impact of childhood experiences on adult well-being and mental health. They also highlight the need for global, culturally inclusive research to further understand this relationship.

“In early 2025, my colleagues and I at Gallup are fielding a new U.S. survey on parenting to further improve the measurement of parenting practices that lead to the highest quality relationships and best long-term mental health outcomes,” said Rothwell. 

His future work aims to explore how parenting shapes character traits and virtues, as well as to disentangle the effects of genetics from parenting practices.

Ultimately, Rothwell plans to compile these insights into a book, shedding light on how parenting influences human flourishing and offering guidance for future generations.

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