Parental Antagonistic Traits and Their Influence on Adult Offspring’s Mental Health, Across One‑ and Two‑Parent Family Structures.

This study examines the influence of parental antagonism and emotional stability on adult offspring’s psychological outcomes. Addressing a notable gap in the existing literature, as few studies have examined parental antagonism and its associations with adult offspring’s outcomes using cross-sectional, retrospective reports. By focusing on adults’ recollections of their parents’ antagonistic traits and their current mental health, this study contributes to understanding the long-term implications of antagonistic parenting. It is hypothesised that higher levels of parental antagonism and lower levels of emotional stability will be associated with adverse mental health outcomes in adult offspring, measured through elevated scores on the DASS-10. This relationship is expected to be strengthened among individuals reporting higher levels of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). In contrast, it is anticipated that greater emotional stability in parents will predict lower levels of adverse mental health outcomes in adult offspring, with this protective association strengthened among those reporting higher levels of Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs). In addition, this study will examine the moderating role of family structure. Specifically, it is expected that individuals raised within triadic family systems will experience a buffering effect against the negative impact of having a parent high in antagonism and low emotional stability, compared with those raised in a dyadic family context.