Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships

This study examined the relationships between childhood and adult playfulness and their associations with psychological well-being, relationships, and parental bonding. Participants (N = 455) completed a survey with measures of retrospective childhood playfulness, Adult Playfulness Trait Scale (APTS), WHO-5 well-being scale, Adult Attachment Scale (AAS) about current close relationships, and retrospective Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Results revealed a small, significant positive correlation between childhood and adult playfulness, specific to the Fun-Seeking Motivation subscale of the APTS. Both playfulness measures were positively correlated with well-being. Childhood playfulness was positively associated with parental care and negatively associated with parental protectiveness, suggesting that autonomy-supportive parenting environments facilitate playful development. Multiple regression analysis indicated that adult playfulness was significantly predicted by age, well-being, closeness to others, dependence on others (negatively), childhood playfulness, and gender, with the model accounting for 14% of variance. The findings support a dual-pathway model in which adult playfulness is shaped by both developmental factors rooted in childhood experience and concurrent social factors in adult life. These results contribute to understanding playfulness as a psychologically meaningful trait embedded within developmental and social contexts.