The Influence of the Psychological Distance between Family Members on Personality Formation

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the family relationships recognized by children and mental health after becoming adults, with emphasis on the forms of recognition from the viewpoint of children. It consisted of an anonymous questionnaire survey using a multiple-choice and fill-in-the-answer format among 451 university students as the subjects. The questionnaire included an investigation into the gender, family relationship from the higher grades of elementary school to secondary school, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and the tendency towards depression and anxiety of the subjects. The results of this study suggested that the more balanced the psychological distance between family members, the lower the score showing a tendency towards anxiety, and vice versa. The results also suggested that the more balanced the psychological distance between family members, the lower the score showing a tendency towards depression, and vice versa. Therefore, it is assumed that the balance of the psychological distance between each member has a stronger impact on the tendency towards anxiety and depression than the length of the psychological distance. In terms of gender, there were no differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy, or the tendency of depression and anxiety. In conclusion, this study partially revealed how the family relationships recognized by children impact personality formation in the process of becoming adults.