This study investigated the relationship between social phobia, peer attachment, and identity development, within three different countries: China, India, and the USA. It was hypothesized that social phobia interferes with peer attachment, and that poor peer attachment interferes with identity development among late adolescents and emerging adults, thus peer attachment mediates the relationship between social phobia and identity. It was further hypothesized that this relationship between variables is moderated by culture such that in collectivistic cultures, where identity is more dependent upon group affiliation and identification, the interference of social phobia (through peer attachment) on identity would be much greater than in individualistic cultures where identity may be based more on unique characteristics. Participants were 422 undergraduate students from three locations: China (n = 180), India (n = 96), and the USA (n = 146). Results varied by country. For the combined sample collectivism, social phobia, and peer attachment each independently predicted identity. Collectivism also negatively predicted social phobia and positively predicted peer attachment. None of the variables served as a mediator or moderator between the other variables. In the USA sample, collectivism predicted identity but was mediated by peer attachment. Social phobia negatively predicted peer attachment and identity, but was not related to collectivism. In the Chinese sample, peer attachment predicted identity, but was mediated by social phobia. Collectivism predicted identity, but was not related to the other two variables. Among the Indian sample none of the variables predicted identity. A number of possible reasons for these complex results are explored.

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Analyses of data from 317 young people (16-24 yrs) suggested that their attachment to parents is best represented by an overall attachment scale and 1(2) specific subscales. Analyses of data from 146 parents indicated that closeness to their children is captured by an overall scale and two specific subscales.

Youths’ transition into adulthood can be challenging, especially when this transition implies acontinuation of education, thus a continuation of the financial dependency in early adulthood.There are an array of developmental tasks and challenges young people go through, and some ofthese tasks can be conflicting: pursuing an academic track versus having financialindependence. These new challenges can impact on youths’ wellbeing.However, having a goodparentalandpeer attachment have been shown to ease these transitions and have positive effectson wellbeing.In this current study we aimed to examine if parental and peer attachment couldsignificantly predict outcomes in psychological wellbeing(i.e., presence of life satisfaction andselfesteemand absence of depression) in university students (Mean age=22.5, SD= 2.0). Theresults showed that parentalandpeer attachment are significantly related to youths’ lifesatisfaction with one exception. Father attachment was not related to youths’ selfesteem.Insummary parentalandpeer attachment do contribute to significant increases in psychologicalwellbeing. / Ungdomars övergång till vuxenlivet kan vara utmanande,speciellt när denna övergång innebär enfortsättning av utbildning, vilket leder till en fortsättning av att vara finansiellt beroende i tidigtvuxenliv. Det finns en mängd utvecklingsrelaterade uppgifter och utmaningar som unga personergår igenom och vissa av dessa uppgifter kan vara motstridande: att gå den akademiska vägeneller vara finansiellt oberoende. Dessa nämnda utmaningar kan påverka ungdomarsvälbefinnande. Dock har det visat sig att ha en god anknytning till föräldrar och vänner kanunderlätta dessa övergångar och samtidigt ha positiva effekter på välbefinnande. Målet medstudien var att undersöka om föräldraochvänanknytning kunde signifikant förklara utfall ipsykologiskt välbefinnande (närvaro av livstillfredsställelse och självkänsla och frånvaro avdepression) i universitetsstudenter (Medelålder= 22,5, SD= 2,0). Resultaten visade att föräldraochvänanknytning var signifikant relaterat till universitetsstudenters tillfredsställelse med livet.Det fanns dock ett undantag då anknytning till fadern ej var signifikant relaterat till självkänsla. Sammanfattningsvis bidrar föräldraochvänanknytning till signifikanta ökningar i psykologisktvälbefinnande.

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Text in English / Teenage pregnancy is a growing social concern in Namibia. In 2013, 19% of teenagers fell pregnant (MoHSS, 2014). Implications are enormous including economic, social and health issues. Attachment between parents and children is important in child development and enduring through life. The study aims to examine whether attachment styles of single parents increase the risk of teenage pregnancy in their daughters. The research used a quantitative method with a sample of 100 teenage girls in Windhoek, Namibia, completing the IPPA and Questionnaire to measure attachment and biographical data. Results analysis in this study suggests that teenagers from two-parents families are more likely to be securely attached (65%) and less likely to get pregnant as teenagers. On the other hand teenagers from single parent families are more likely to be insecurely attached (44%) and are more likely to get pregnant as teenagers. Thus, the attachment style predicted teenage pregnancy, particularly in single parent families where insecure attachment was more prominent. Recommendations for future research and for the government and other stake holders were provided. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)