Living up to Parental Expectations, Psychological Separation, and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between living up to parental expectations (LPE) and life satisfaction as well as the moderating effect of psychological separation on this relationship among South Korean college students. The participants ( N = 343) completed an online survey measuring the study variables. We divided psychological separation into conflictual independence (CI) and general independence (GI) and performed multiple regression analysis. The results revealed a positive association between LPE and life satisfaction. Our analysis also indicated that GI moderated the relationship between LPE and life satisfaction. Specifically, the positive association between LPE and life satisfaction was significant for participants with lower levels of GI. We discussed the significance of these findings and explained their implications for counseling settings in terms of cultural considerations.