‘‘Why do they have to grow up so fast?’ ’ Parental Separation Anxiety and Emerging Adults ’ Pathology of Separation-Individuation

This study examined associations between parental separation anxiety, controlling parenting, and difficulties in the separation-individuation process, as manifested in separation-individuation pathology. In a sample of emerging adults involved in the process of home leaving (N5232) and their parents, it was found that parental separation anxiety is positively related to separation-individuation pathology in emerging adults. Dependency-oriented controlling parenting served as an intervening variable in the relationship between parents ’ feelings of separation anxiety and pathology of the separation-individuation process in emerging adults. These associations were not moderated by emerging adults ’ residential status (i.e., living with parents or (semi-)independently), suggesting that parental characteristics and behaviors remain important antecedents of separation-individuation pathology even when one no longer lives in the parental household. & 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–18, 2011