Adult attachment orientations and college student distress: The mediating role of problem coping styles

In this study, the authors examined relations among adult attachment orient ations, maladaptive problem coping styles, and a composite measure of curre nt distress within a sample of 55 undergraduates (17 men, 38 women). Result s indicated that each adult attachment orientation and each problem coping style measure was related in expected directions to students' distress. In addition, problem coping styles largely mediated the impact of insecure adu lt attachment orientations on distress. Implications of our findings to adv ancing an attachment theory-informed perspective on college student coping, distress, and intervention are discussed.