ADULT ATTACHMENT SECURITY AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION - THE MEDIATING ROLES OF DYSFUNCTIONAL ATTITUDES AND LOW SELF-ESTEEM

Three studies investigated the relation between adult attachment secur ity and symptoms of depression. Study 1 examined the overall magnitude of the association between adult attachment and depression, and Studi es 2 and 3 tested whether this relation was mediated by dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem. Results from the three studies were con sistent with a mediation model. This model suggests that insecure adul t attachment styles are associated with dysfunctional attitudes, which in turn predispose to lower levels of self-esteem. Such depletions in self-esteem are directly associated with increases in depressive symp toms over time. Insecure attachment appears to lead to depressive symp toms in adulthood through its impact on self-worth contingencies and s elf-esteem.