# A Psychoanalytically Informed Pilot Study of Moral Competence in German Young Adults Linked to Personality Structure and Parenting Experiences

## TL;DR

This pilot study explores how moral competence in young adults is linked to personality structure and parenting experiences, using a psychoanalytic approach.

## Contribution

The study introduces a psychoanalytic perspective to understanding moral competence, linking it to personality and parenting.

## Key findings

- Moral competence is positively associated with personality structure integration.
- Warm parenting correlates with higher moral competence and structural integration.
- Paternal warmth may indirectly influence moral competence through personality structure.

## Abstract

The present pilot study explored associations between moral competence, personality structure and perceived parenting experiences. While previous research on moral competence has mainly emphasized educational and cognitive determinants, this work represents a novel psychoanalytically informed investigation of this ability. A sample of 88 young adults aged 18 to 21 completed an online survey including the Moral Competence-Test, OPD-Structure-Questionnaire, and Zurich Brief Questionnaire for the Assessment of Parental Behaviors. Exploratory analyses revealed a positive association between moral competence and overall integration of personality structure. Perceived parenting behaviors showed observable relationships with both constructs: warm and supportive parenting was associated with higher structural integration and greater moral competence, whereas parental control, particularly psychological control, was linked to lower personality structural and moral abilities. An exploratory mediation analysis further suggested that paternal warmth may indirectly affect moral competence via personality structure. This finding aligns with psychoanalytic theory proposing that father–child experiences, conceptualized as triangulation, create a cognitive and emotional space that fosters reflection and the development of moral competence. Overall, these exploratory findings underscore the need for longitudinal research examining the interplay between parenting experiences, personality structure, and moral development.