Three-Dimensional Attachment and Psychological Vulnerability: Mediation Role of Mental Well-Being

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the associations between attachment styles, mental well-being and psychological vulnerability. The sample comprised a total of 257 university students including 205 women (79.8%) and 52 men (20.2%). The ages of university students varied from 18 to 34 years [Mage= 21.37, SD = 2.13]. The Process Macro (Model 4) application was used to test the mediation analysis. According to mediation analysis findings, secure attachment style (ab = −.20, SE =.05, 95% CI [−.31, −.09]), anxious-ambivalent attachment style (ab =.08, SE =.02, 95% CI [.04,.13]), and avoidant attachment style (ab =.08, SE =.02, 95% CI [.03,.14]) had significant indirect effects on psychological vulnerability. Additionally, mental well-being had full mediation role in the association between secure attachment style and psychological vulnerability, while mental well-being was determined to have partial mediation role in the associations between anxious-ambivalent and avoidant attachment styles with psychological vulnerability. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.