2008/02/21 by Andrew Wenger, Blaine J. Fowers · 1 citation
Psychology · #Optimism, Hope, and Well-being #Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research #Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction #Illusion #Psychology #Developmental psychology #Social psychology #Positive relationship #Positive parenting #Cognitive psychology
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00319.x
openalex publication_date 2008/02/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
This study examined the paradox between the difficulties of parenting and the high levels of parenting satisfaction in terms of positive illusions. Results were consistent with a positive illusions model, as biological parents with a child between the ages of 2 and 5 reported unrealistically positive views of their children. They rated their own children as possessing more positive and less negative attributes than the average child. The more positively parents rated themselves, the more positively they rated their children. Parents' self‐esteem scores, unrealistically positive ratings of the child, and positive illusions of parenting were related to 3 aspects of the parenting experience. This study extends the literature on positive illusions to encompass parents' positive illusions about their young children.