The Effect of Attachment and Sharing Time between Parent and Child and Self-Esteem on Positive Peer Relationships in a Single Parent Family Children

The aim of this study was to verify the effect of attachment and sharing time between parent and child and self-esteem on positive peer relationships in single parent family children. A total of 99 children from 4th to 6th graders in elementary school (45 boys, 45.5%) participated in the study. They responded to attachment and sharing time between parent and child, self-esteem, and positive peer relationships questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Model Analysis. The results were as follows: Attachment and sharing time between parent and child had an indirect effect through self-esteem on positive peer relationships in single parent family children. Single parent family children who had secure attachments and had lots of sharing time with their parent showed a higher level of positive peer relationships. In addition, when children had a good relationship with their parent both quantitatively and qualitatively, they perceived self-esteem positively, which led to higher positive peer relationships. The findings of this research indicate that parent-child relationships play significant roles in predicting self-esteem and positive peer relationships in single parent family children.