The mediating role of ego strength between attachment styles and mindfulness

Mindfulness which comes from eastern traditions, especially Buddhism, is defined by conscious attention to current moment and internal/external personal experiences. Researches showed that mindfulness has relationships with the attachment styles but does ego strength can mediate the relationship between attachment styles and mindfulness?

The present study was performed to examine the mediating role of ego strength on the relationship between attachment styles and mindfulness in the University of Tehran and Medical University of Tehran students.

current study is a descriptive-correlational research Two hundred and sixty eight students (231 make, 36 female) participated in the study. All the students were asked to complete the Adult Attachment Inventory (Besharat, 1392), Ego Strength Scale (Besharat, 1395) and Mindfulness Awareness Attention Scale (Ghasemipour and Ghorbani, 2008).

Analysis of data involves descriptive and inferential statistics including frequency, percentage, mean standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and path analysis. The results demonstrated that secure attachment had a significant positive association with mindfulness (r=0/50؛ p<0/01), insecure attachment (avoidance/ambivalence) had a significant negative association with mindfulness)r=-0/28 و r=-0/43؛ p<0/01 (and ego strength had a significant positive association with mindfulness (r=0/34؛ p<0/01). Secure attachment had a significant positive association with ego strength (r=0/24؛ p<0/01). Insecure attachment had negative correlation with ego strength (r=-0/34؛ p<0/01).

The mediating role of ego strength on the relationship between attachment styles and mindfulness had been confirmed. Based on the results the higher attachment style score, the higher mindfulness and ego strength scores. And with higher ego strength score, mindfulness was higher too. According to the results of the present study, there is not a linear association on the relationship between attachment and mindfulness. Ego strength plays a mediating role on the relationship between them.