The Association Between Parental Bipolar Symptoms and Offspring Identity Formation: The Role of Parental Attachment and Emotion Regulation

Author

Alexa D. Loonam, University of Central FloridaFollow

Keywords

parental bipolar disorder; offspring identity formation; attachment; emotion regulation; parental psychopathology

Abstract

Identity development involves integrating various aspects of oneself into a unified self-concept; however, maladaptive identity formation can lead to negative mental health outcomes (Berman & Weems, 2016). Growing up with a caregiver exhibiting unpredictable behaviors may hinder this process, leaving children vulnerable during this critical stage (Schwartz & Petrova, 2018). The current study evaluated how bipolar symptoms among parents may impact one’s identity. College students (N = 399) completed an anonymous online survey battery for course credit. Results revealed that parental bipolar symptoms were positively correlated with ruminative identity exploration, identity distress, disturbed (unstable) identity, and lack of identity, while negatively correlated with identity consolidation. Mediation analyses showed that parental attachment partially mediated the relationship between parental bipolar symptoms and identity disturbances, while expressive suppression did not. Findings suggest that parental bipolar symptoms are linked to identity difficulties, with parental attachment playing a crucial role in this association. With the information gathered from the study, these findings underscore the importance of accessible mental health care for children, particularly those navigating identity development in the context of a caregiver’s mental health challenges. By increasing access to supportive interventions, clinicians can help these individuals develop a stronger sense of self and better cope with their unique difficulties. Further analyses and their implications are discussed.

Thesis Completion Year

2025

Thesis Completion Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair

Berman, Steven

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Thesis Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

STARS Citation

Loonam, Alexa D., "The Association Between Parental Bipolar Symptoms and Offspring Identity Formation: The Role of Parental Attachment and Emotion Regulation" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 247.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/247