Identity exploration in the dating domain: the role of attachment dimensions and parenting practices.

We examined relations among perceived parenting practices (support and psychological control), attachment dimensions for romantic relationships (anxiety and avoidance) and exploration of the dating identity among actively dating adolescents in two high school aged samples. In the all female sample of Study 1 (n = 653) and the gender balanced sample of Study 2 (n = 1003), parenting practices contributed to adolescent exploration of the dating identity. Parent psychological control, but not parental support, also contributed to elevated feeling of avoidance and anxiety in romantic relationships. Avoidance, in turn, was related to less exploration of the dating identity while anxiety seemed to increase it. Gender moderated the model, with parenting practices predicting exploration only for girls and with the links for avoidance and anxiety with exploration stronger for boys than girls. Indirect effects for parenting practices through attachment dimensions on exploration of the dating identity were also noted.