Exploring the Quality of Nexus among the College-going Adolescents with their Parents in Bangladesh: A Public Health Perspective

This cross-sectional study investigates the association between parental bonding and parent-child relationships among college-going adolescents in Bangladesh. Utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire based on Robert C. Pianta\'s (1992) nexus scale, data were collected from 101 students (46% male, 54% female) aged 17-19 of Chattogram Biggan College and Chattogram Commerce College in Bangladesh. The findings reveal a distinct disparity in the quality of relationships with mothers versus fathers. A majority of participants (62.4%) reported feeling delighted spending time with their mothers, compared to 49% who were very happy spending time with their fathers. Conversely, a very small proportion expressed dissatisfaction (5.9% unhappy/very unhappy with mothers; 3.5% unhappy with fathers). Analysis of bonding showed that a significant proportion (almost 40%) reported a strong bond with their mothers. In contrast, a strong bond with fathers was less common (approximately 30%). Furthermore, over three-quarters of respondents indicated disagreements with their father’s concerning proximity and dependence. When measuring overall intimacy, a sizable proportion reported low levels: nearly 30% had low intimacy with their mothers, and over 40% had low intimacy with their fathers. Statistical analysis confirmed that overall relationship intimacy with both parents was significantly correlated (p<0.000) with key relationship characteristics, including conflict, closeness, and dependence. Additionally, several aspects of the parent-child relationship were found to have a marginally significant association with gender. These included the things participants liked (p<0.05) and disliked (p<0.04) most about their mothers, their feelings when spending time with their mother (p<0.05), and the things they disliked most about their father (p<0.05).