The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem in the RelationshipBetween Attachment Orientations and Psychological Adjustment

The aim of this research was to examine the relationship between attachment and adjustment with the mediating role of self-esteem. Our research method was correlational research based on path analysis method. The statistical population were consisted of 225 students of Shiraz high schools (102 female and 123 male) that were chosen by multistage sampling. The means were the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armesden & Greenberg, 1987), Bell Adjustment Inventory (1961) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965). For data analysis we used path analysis. The results showed that attachment to mother and peer effectively predict self-esteem. Attachment to mother directly predicted subscales of home and social adjustment. Also, attachment to father could directly predict the affectional adjustment as well as home adjustment, and Peer attachment predicted directly the social adjustment. Furthermore, self-esteem had significant relationships with other dimensions of adjustment. Other findings revealed the mediating role of self-esteem on the relationship between attachment style and psychological adjustment. So, it can be concluded that attachments style and self-esteem, are two important components in prediction of adjustment in adolescents.