Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T09:03:19.328Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Transhistorical variations in personality and their association with experiences of parental rearing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

M. Lundberg
Affiliation:
Umeå University, Department of Psychiatry and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Umeå
C. Perris*
Affiliation:
Umeå University, Department of Psychiatry and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Umeå Swedish Institute for Cognitive Psychotherapy, Stockholm, Sweden
P. Schlette
Affiliation:
Umeå University, Department of Psychiatry and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Umeå
R. Adolfsson
Affiliation:
Umeå University, Department of Psychiatry and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health, Umeå
*
*Correspondence and reprints: Swedish Institute for Cognitive Psychotherapy Dalagatan 9A, Box 641 S-113 82 Stockholm, Sweden
Get access

Summary

A population sample comprised of 765 subjects (367 males and 398 females), in the age range of 15-81 years, completed the EMBU, a reliable questionnaire aimed at assessing experiences of parental rearing, and the TCI, a self-report questionnaire aimed at assessing dimensions of temperament and character. The study had three main aims: 1) to verify, on a larger scale, previous findings suggesting the occurrence of significant associations between experiences of parental rearing and aspects of temperament and character, 2) to assess possible variations in temperament and character in cohorts of subjects who have grown up in different historical epochs, and 3) to investigate to what extent transgenerational differences in parental rearing are detectable in different associations with various dimensions of personality. Several, albeit small, significant and meaningful associations between experiences of parental rearing and both temperament and character dimensions have been found, adding support to the robustness of previously reported results obtained in an independent smaller series. Also, several significant differences among subjects in different age groups have been found, both concerning temperament variables and character dimensions. Finally, the results show that associations between experiences of parental rearing and dimensions of temperament and character are most pronounced in subjects belonging to the youngest cohort and almost nil in the cohort comprising the oldest subjects.

Type
Original article
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arrindell, WAvan der Ende, J. Replicability and invariance of dimensions of parental caring behaviour. Further Dutch experiences with the EMBU Person Individ Differ 1994 ; 5 : 671-82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arrindell, WAPerris, CEisemann, Mvan der Ende, JGazner, PIwawaki, S, et al. Parrental rearing behaviore from a crosscultural perspective: a summary of data obtained in 14 nationsIn: Perris, CArrindell, CEisemann, M, eds. Parenting and Psychopathology Chichester: J Wiley, Sons; 1994. p. 145-72.Google Scholar
Arrindell, WAPerris, C. Parental influences do matter! Acta Psychiatr Scand 1999 ; In press.Google ScholarPubMed
Ausubel, DP. Theory and problems of child development New York: Grune, Stratton; 1958.Google Scholar
Brewin, CRAndrews, BGotlib, IH. Psychopathology and early experience: A reappraisal of retrospective reports Psychol Bull 1993 ; 113 : 8298.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brändström, SSchlette, PPrzybeck, TRLundberg, MForsgren, TSigvardsson, S, et al. Swedish Normative Data on Personality Using the Temperament and Character Inventory Compr Psychiatry 1998.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cloninger, CR. Temperament and personality Curr Opin Neurobiol 1994 ; 4 : 266-73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cloninger, CRSvrakic, DMPrzybeck, TR. A Psychobiological Model of Temperament and Character Arch Gen Psychiatry 1993 ; 50 ; 975-90.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cloninger, CRPrzybeck, TRSvrakic, DMWetzel, RD. The Temperament and Character Inventory. (TCI): A guide to its development and use Center for Psychology of Personality, Washington University, St. Louis ; 1994.Google Scholar
Costa, PTMcCrae, RRZonderman, ABBarbano, HELebowitz, BLarson, D. Cross-sectional studies of personality in a national sample: 2. Stability in neuroticism, extroversion, and openness Psychol. Aging 1986 ; 1 : 144-49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunn, JMcGuire, S. Young children's nonshared experiences: a summary of studies in Cambridge and ColoradoIn: Hetherington, EMReiss, DPlomin, R, eds. Separate Social Worlds of Siblings: Impact of the Nonshared Environment on Development New Jersey, USA : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale ; 1993. p. 111-28.Google Scholar
Erikson, HE. Childhood and Society New York: Norton; 1963.Google Scholar
Freeman, M. History, narrative, and life-span developmental knowledge Hum Dev 1984 ; 27 : 119.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gerlsma, CKramer, JJAMScholing, AEmmelkamp PMG. The influence of mood on memories of parental rearing practices Br J Clin Psych 1994 ; 33 : 159-72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gotlib, IHMount, JHCordy, NIWhiffen, VE. Depression and perception of early parenting: A longitudinal investigation Br J Psychiatry 1988 ; 152 : 24-7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guthrie, GMBennett, AB. Cultural differences in implicit personality theory Int J Psychol 1971 ; 6 : 305-12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heath, ACCloninger, CRMartin, NG. Testing a model for the genetic structure of personality: a comparison of the personality systems of Cloninger and Eysenck J Pers Soc Psychol 1994 ; 66 : 762-75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heilbrun, AB. Aversive maternal control. A theory of schizophrenia development New York: J Wiley Sons; 1973.Google Scholar
Hur, YMBouchard, JJ. Genetic influences on perceptions of childhood family environment: a reared apart twin study Child Dev 1995 ; 66 : 330-45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jacobsson, LLindström, Hvon Knorring, LPerris, CPerris, H. Perceived parental behaviour and psychogenic needs Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 1980 ; 228 : 2130.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kendler, KS. Parenting: A genetic-epidemiologic perspective Am J Psychiatry 1996 ; 153 : 1120.Google ScholarPubMed
Lewis-Fernandez, RKleinman, A. Culture, personality, and psychopathology J Abnorm Psychol 1994 ; 103 : 6771.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lundberg, MPerris, CSchlette, PAdolfssoon, R. Transcultural influences on the perception of parental rearing. A transgenerational study Clin Psychol Psychother 1999 ; 6 : 715.3.0.CO;2-Y>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackinnon, AJHenderson, ASScott, RDuncan-Jones, P. The Parental Bonding Instrument: An epidemiological study in the general population Psychol Med 1989 ; 19 : 1023-34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Main, M. Recent studies in attachment. Overview with selected implications for clinical workIn: Goldberg, SMuir, RKerr, J, eds. Attachment theory. Social, developmental and cliical perspectives Hillsdale NJ: Analytic Press; 1995. p. 407-74.Google Scholar
Main, MKaplan, NCassidt, J. Security in infancy, childhood and adulthood. A move to the level of representationIn: Bretherton, IWaters, E, eds. Growing points of attachment theory and research. Monogr Soc Res Child Devel Ser 1991 ; 209 : 66104.Google Scholar
McCrae, RR, Costa, PT. Emerging lives, enduring dispositions: Personality in adulthood Boston : Little, Brown ; 1984. p. ????.Google Scholar
McCrae, RRCosta, PT. Recalled parent-child relations and adult personality J Pers 1988 ; 56 : 417-34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Millon, TDavis, RD. Disorders of Personality. DSM-IV and beyond Chichester: J Wiley, Sons; 1996.Google Scholar
Perris, C. Ein Vulnerabilitatsmodell der Psychopathologie. Eine integrative TheorieIn: Köhne, G-E, ed. Aktuelle Aspekte der Psychiatrie Jena : Universitätsverlag ; 1991. p. 2230.Google Scholar
Perris, C. Defining the concept of individual vulnerability as a base for psychotherapeutic interventionsIn: Perris, CMcGorry, PD, eds. Handbook of Cognitive Psychotherapy of Psychotic and Personality Disorders Chichester : J Wiley, Sons ; 1998. in press.Google Scholar
Perris, CPerris, H. A biological, psychological and social approach to the study of depression and its implication for treatment Neurol Psihiatr Sci Umane 1985 ; 5 : 6793.Google Scholar
Perris, CPerris, H. Personlighetsstörningar. Uppkomst och behandling i ett utvecklingspsykopatologiskt perspektiv Kultur, Stockholm : Natur och Kultur ; 1998.Google Scholar
Perris, CArrindell, WAEisemann, M,eds. Parenting and Psychopathology Chichester : J. Wiley & Sons ; 1994.Google Scholar
Perris, CJacobsson, LLindström, HvonKnorring, LPerris, H. Development of a new inventory for assessing memories of parental rearing behaviour Acta Psychiatr Scand 1980 ; 61 : 265-74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perris, CEisemann, MEriksson, UvonKnorring, LPerris, H. Parental rearing behaviour and personality characteristics Arch Psychiatr Nervenkr 1983 ; 233 : 7788.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reiss, DHetherington, MPlomin, RHowe, GWSimmens, SEHenderson, S. Genetic questions for environmental studies. Differential parenting and psychopathology in adolescence Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995 ; 52 : 925-36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rende, RPlomin, R. Nature, nurture, and the development of psychopathologyIn: Cicchetti, DCohen, DJ, eds. Develop Developmental Psychopathology Vol 1995. p. 1. Chichester : Wiley, Sons ; 291314.Google Scholar
Richter, JEiseman, MRichter, G. Temperament, character and perceived parental rearing in healthy adults: two related concepts? Psychopathology 1998 ; in press.Google Scholar
Rollins, BCThomas, DL. Parental support, power and control techniques in the socialization of the childrenIn: Burr, WRHill, RNye, FIReiss, IL, eds. Contemporary theories about the family Vol 1. New York: The Free Press; 1979. p. 317-64.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, RRubin, DB. A simple, general pupose display of magnitude of experimental effect J Ed Psychol 1982 ; 74 : 166-9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, M. Relation of implicit theories to the construction of personal histories Psychol Bull 1989 ; 96 : 341-57.Google Scholar
Rothbart, MKAhadi, SA. Temperament and the development of personality J Abnorm Psychol 1994 ; 103 : 5566.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ruchkin, VEisemann, MHägglöf, BCloninger, CR. Interrelations between temperament, character and parental rearing in male delinquent adolescents in northern Russia Compr Psychiatry 1998. in press.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scarr, SMcCartney, K. How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype-environment effects Child Devel 1983 ; 54 : 424-35.Google ScholarPubMed
Schlette, PBrändström, SEisemann, MSigvardsson, SNylander, POAdolfsson, RPerris, C. Perceived parental rearing behaviours and temperament and character in healthy adults Person Indiv Diff 1998. in press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, AChess, S. Temperament and Personality New York: Brunner/Mazel; 1977.Google Scholar
Winefield, HRTiggerman, MWinefield, AH. Parental rearing behaviour, attributional style and mental healthIn: Perris, CArrindell, WAEisemann, M, eds. Parenting and Psychopathology Chichester : Wiley, Sons ; 1994. p. 3353.Google Scholar
Winefield, HRGoldney, RDTiggerman, MWinefield, AH. Parental rearing behaviors: stability of reports over time and relation to adult interpersonal skills J Genet Psychol 1990 ; 151 : 211-19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.