Impact of Parenting on Wellbeing and the Concept of Self-Efficacy (Essay Sample)

EXAMINATION IN PSYCHOLOGY
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Examination in Psychology
Section A Question 3: Discuss the evidence for a long-term impact of parenting on wellbeing in later life.
Parenting remains an integral aspect of development in different stages of life and has long term implications in the wellbeing of a person later in life, especially in adulthood. Different theories have been advanced to aid the comprehension of the vital role of parenting in the lives of individuals in adulthood. A comprehension of the role of parenting, especially during the formative years of development, is a precedent in understanding its implications on the well-being of individuals during adulthood.
One of the reasoning is the quality of child-rearing. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is one of the frameworks that may assist in understanding the mediating role of parenting in the well-being of individuals during adulthood. The basic needs of a child need to be met by the parents for optimal development. Parents have to ensure that children have access to food, security, clothing, and other basic needs. The failure by parents, sometimes due to lower socioeconomic status, have implications on the latter aspects of the lives of individuals when they transition to adulthood.
The efforts by parents to provide quality care assist in the development of the child and reduces the chances of being affected with some issues that may be implicated in poor health outcomes when they transition to adulthood. Quality care is characterized by addressing the needs as outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, additional help for children, provision of a caring environment, engaging a child, and play. High-quality care focuses on ensuring holistic development in the areas of physical, emotional and social development. The provision of quality care by the parents remains integral in the improvement of a child’s wellbeing and is valuable in the avoidance of emotional issues when they transition to adulthood. Children who have access to quality child care tend to have enhanced self-esteem, which may protect them against the development of some psychological conditions when they transition to adulthood.
The type of parenting adopted also affects the attachment of a child, which may be implicated in their psychological wellbeing and behavioural patterns when they become adults. Attachment can be conceptualized as the relationship between a child and a parent. Different scholars attempted to rationalize the implication of attachment pattern in the wellbeing of individuals in adulthood. Through Drive-Reduction Explanation, Freud indicated that the attachment patterns in childhood affect social development and people’s behaviour in adulthood. The linkage between parenting and well-being in adulthood can therefore be explained through its effects on the behavioural patterns mediated by attachment patterns to the parents in childhood. Parents influence such attachments based on how they interact and engage children during their formative years. The effects of parenting on wellbeing in adulthood can also be explained through the attachment theory, which recognizes three patterns, including secure, avoidant and resistant. In adulthood, the different patterns influence individuals’ behaviour, especially when faced with challenges. For instance, individuals who exhibited secure attachment in childhood tend to feel comfortable in relationships during adulthood and can share their challenges and seek assistance from their partners. This ensures that the issues are addressed, leading to enhanced wellbeing.
The influence of parenting on well-being in adulthood can also be explained through the social learning theory. Primarily, the theory provides that people learn behaviours and other aspects of life. Due to their proximity to the parents during the formative stages of development, children rely on them to learn different things in life. The theory emphasizes the significance of observations, modelling, and imitation of the attitudes, behaviours, and emotional reactions to different situations. The model considers environmental and cognitive factors as primary factors mediating human behavior and learning in influencing behaviour. In the context of the impacts of parenting on wellbeing during adulthood, the approaches adopted by the parents affect the learning processes and behaviours of the children, which may be retained until the time when they transition to adulthood. Based on the vital role of behaviour on emotional and physical wellbeing, it is arguable that children may imitate behaviours that can be positive or negative to their health. For instance, some behaviours such as alcoholism that may adversely affect health may be normalized by children and carried to adulthood based on the observations of the parents’ behaviours. At the same time, children may also learn about healthy living, hygiene and physical activity and practice them in adulthood, leading to improvements in wellbeing.
The implications of parenting in adulthood well-being can also be explored by considering its effects on the resilience of individuals. High levels of resilience are associated with improved levels of wellbeing. Parenting is considered one of the factors that may enhance or derail resilience in an individual. For instance, the support offered by parents and the integration of positive parenting approaches are considered key in enhancing parenting. Based on the Risk and resilience matrix, good parenting can be considered a protective factor. On the other hand, serious parental challenges such as alcoholism and drug abuse may make children vulnerable and unlikely to overcome challenges they may encounter in later stages of life. In this context, low levels of resilience may predispose adults to mental health issues and compromised wellbeing.
In conclusion, parenting affects wellbeing in adulthood in different ways. The implications of the effects of parenting on adulthood wellbeing can be rationalized through multiple perspectives. The quality child care model fosters optimal development and reduces the chances of a child being affected with psychological and physical health issues that may compromise their wellbeing when they transition to adulthood. The social learning theory also provides an opportunity of understanding parental influence on the learning of behaviours and emotional reactions that affect wellbeing in adulthood. The attachment style, which is an outcome of parenting, also affects individuals’ relationships and well-being in adulthood. The consideration of the different perspectives affirms that the tendencies and competencies of adults are associated with the type of parenting experienced.
Section B
Discuss the claim arising from Bandura’s work that a key factor in how people regulate their lives is their sense of self-efficacy.
Albert Bandura introduced the concept of self-efficacy to