Family Mealtime Emotional Climate, Attachment, and Perceived Stress
A Cross-Cultural Study of India and the United Kingdom
Abstract
Family mealtimes are occasions when family members eat together in the same place and at the same time, and serve as an opportunity to interact and build bonds. Adolescence and young adulthood are usually the critical developmental stages, characterised by significant psychological, emotional and social change. This is when individuals tend to rely on family members to help them work through stress and attachment. The emotional climate during a family meal helps individuals. The present research was carried out on a sample of 61 respondents, of whom 5 were excluded because they did not meet the requirement of living with another family member. The study employed four questionnaires, namely, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Family Mealtime Questionnaire, the Attachment Style Questionnaire, and the Emotional Climate Questionnaire. The participants' ages ranged from 14 to 32 years. Indian participants had reported a significantly higher family emotional climate than United Kingdom participants. Family emotional climate was negatively associated with perceived stress. The family emotional climate was negatively associated with avoidant and anxious attachment. Perceived stress was positively associated with avoidant and anxious attachment insecurity. Finally, family mealtime structure shows no significant relationships. The findings highlight that the emotional quality of family interactions may be more important than the structural aspects of family mealtimes in understanding perceived stress and attachment. They also emphasise the importance of considering cultural context when examining family relationships and emotional experiences.
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