Journal of Community Mental Health and Public Policy
Vol. 9 No. 1 (2026): OCTOBER

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FATHER ATTACHMENT AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AMONG DAUGHTERS IN INDONESIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Bela Lestari (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia)
Afriani Afriani (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia)
Kartika Sari (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia)
Wenny Aidina (Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
05 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background: In recent decades, emotional mental disorders have been increasingly reported among students, affecting their emotional well-being; within a hedonic framework, low emotional well-being is marked by high negative affect, low positive affect, and minimal life satisfaction, yet father attachment, a key protective factor, remains understudied in this population. Purpose: This study examined the relationship between father attachment and emotional well-being among students. Methods: Participants were 390 students aged 18–24 from four universities in Banda Aceh, selected through multistage cluster sampling followed by disproportionate stratified random sampling. Father attachment was measured using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised (IPPA-R) Father Attachment subscale, and emotional well-being was measured using the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), comprising positive affect (SPANE-P) and negative affect (SPANE-N). Data was analyzed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Results: Father attachment was positively correlated with positive affect (r = 0.415, p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with negative affect (r = -0.255, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Father attachment is associated with both positive and negative affect among students, suggesting that family-based prevention initiatives involving fathers may help improve students’ mental health. Abstrak Latar Belakang: Gangguan mental emosional dalam beberapa dekade terakhir banyak ditemukan pada anak perempuan sehingga memengaruhi emotional well-being mereka. Dalam kerangka hedonic, emotional well-being yang rendah ditandai dengan afek negatif tinggi, afek positif rendah, dan kepuasan hidup yang minim, sementara father attachment sebagai faktor protektif masih kurang diteliti pada kelompok ini. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji hubungan antara father attachment dan emotional well-being pada anak perempuan. Metode: Partisipan adalah 390 mahasiswi berusia 18-24 tahun dari empat perguruan tinggi di Banda Aceh, yang dipilih melalui multistage cluster sampling dan dilanjutkan dengan disproportionate stratified random sampling. Father attachment diukur menggunakan subskala Father Attachment dari IPPA-R, dan emotional well-being diukur menggunakan SPANE yang terdiri dari afek positif (SPANE-P) dan afek negatif (SPANE-N). Data dianalisis menggunakan teknik Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Hasil: Father attachment berkorelasi positif dengan afek positif (r = 0,415, p < 0,05) dan berkorelasi negatif dengan afek negatif (r = -0,255, p < 0,05). Kesimpulan: Father attachment berhubungan dengan afek positif maupun afek negatif anak perempuan, sehingga inisiatif pencegahan berbasis keluarga yang melibatkan ayah berpotensi meningkatkan kesehatan mental anak perempuan.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

cmhp

Publisher

Subject

Public Health Other

Description

The Journal of Community Mental Health and Public Policy focuses on the areas of community mental health and mental health care, addiction or substance abuse, including drugs, alcohol and smoking, mental health or addiction prevention, public policy about mental health and addiction and other ...