Relation between parenting style and confident decision-making in a student population.

Parenting styles differ in their expression of care and (over)protection behaviors and are associated with markedly different outcomes in children. While research has examined the effects of parenting styles on global self-esteem and self-efficacy, little is known about how they might relate to decision-confidence (metacognitive bias) in a task. This study examined the possible relation between students' decision-confidence and the perceived parenting style of their primary caregiver. Participants (N = 246) played a trust game and rated their confidence in task choices. The perceived parenting style of their caregiver was determined using participants' responses to the Parental Bonding Instrument. Participants' decision-confidence was not significantly associated with their caregiver's parenting style. However, decision-confidence was positively related with self-efficacy to a small degree. Exploratory analyses indicated that participants with overprotective caregivers were more likely to report poor self-efficacy and self-esteem; increased depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms; childhood adversity; and anxious and avoidant attachment; while participants with caring caregivers showed the opposite pattern. Our results are a step towards understanding the potential effects of parenting on adult children's decision-confidence and contribute to growing evidence that perceived parental behaviors have strong associations with young adults' mental health, self-worth, and relationship attachment.