Adding appstrophe

The latest studies indicate that what people really want is a mate that has qualities like their parents.The sentence is made by someone who is not a native speaker.I think the phrase "like their parents" is wrong. An appostrophe should be added, I assume.Isn't it supposed to be like their parents' because qualities and their parents don't fall into the same category, which means it is uncomparable.Could you please help me clarify it?Thanks.