In middle adulthood, individuals‘ subjective well-being (SWB) is associated with various factors, including demographic and personality characteristics, as well as the quality of their relationship with children who are in the process of gaining independence or have already attained it. However, the effects of different aspects of emerging adults‘ psychological separation-individuation in relation to their parents on parental SWB have not yet been documented. In this study, we examined the contribution of five aspects of emerging adults‘ separation-individuation –assessed both by the emerging adults themselves and by their parents– to three dimensions of mothers’ SWB, as defined by Keyes’ model, while also considering mothers’ demographic and personality characteristics. The study included 259 mother-child dyads, with mid-aged mothers and their emerging adult children. Mothers provided demographic information, self-assessed personality traits using the NEO-FFI-30, and reported their SWB via the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form. They also evaluated their child’s separation-individuation using the short form of the Individuation Test for Emerging Adults (ITEA-S, adapted for maternal report). Emerging adults reported their own demographic characteristics and assessed aspects of their separation-individuation using the ITEA-S. Hierarchical regression models were employed to predict mothers' SWB dimensions, with demographic characteristics, personality traits, and aspects of separation-individuation in relation to mother. In the final step, the ITEA-S self- and maternal ratings were analyzed separately. Emerging adults' self-reported individuation (particularily higher self-reliance) uniquely predicted greater emotional well-being in their mothers. In contrast, maternal assessments of their children’s individuation yielded a significant increament across all three dimensions of SWB. Higher perceived connectedness with their children was associated with higher levels of mothers' emotional and psychological well-being, while perceived children’s self-reliance uniquely predicted higher social well-being. The findings highlight the critical role of mother-child connectedness and emerging adults’ self-reliance—two key aspects of a successfully navigated process of separation-individuation—in contributing to mothers’ SWB beyond demographic and personality factors. These results have important implications for psychological practice.
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