We cannot repeat it enough, childhood is a crucial age for the proper development of a person and for a good start in life. And the effects are felt even very late in life. American researchers have shown the influence of a warm family environment on romantic relationships and the management of emotions, and this… up to the age of 80!
L’study published in Psychological Sciences looked at 81 men followed for 78 years. First, the researchers determined the quality of the environment in childhood, by data collected by a social worker, by an interview with the parents, and by a self-evaluation of the volunteers. Subsequently, they responded regularly to questionnaires. In their fifties, the participants were asked about the challenges they had encountered up to that point, in particular concerning their social relationships, their physical health and their work. This allowed scientists to assess their ability to manage their emotions in response to these challenges.
Better manage your emotions and love life
Around the age of 80, participants answered an interview about their attachment ties with their current romantic partner. The questions concerned for example their marriage or the mutual support of the partners. This data was used to measure the security of their attachment in their romantic relationship.
All these results together form a picture of the influence of the environment in childhood on adulthood. Thus, people who grew up in a nurturing and warm environment were better able to manage their emotions in midlife, and reported stronger romantic relationships. The scientists recall in their study the importance of the well-being of the child in its construction for the future.
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