The Structural Relationships between Attachment Styles and Depression: The Mediational Role of Theory of Mind

The aim of this study was to determine the structural relationships between attachment styles and depression, regarding to meditating role of Theory of Mind in students. This study was a descriptive-correlational study and participants were 300 undergraduate students of Tabriz university in 2017-18 that selected by cluster multistage sampling and they completed Beck Depression Inventory, Adults Attachment Inventory, Strange Stories Task and Faux Pas Recognition Test. Data analysis using structural equation modeling method showed that the measured model has a relatively favorable fit with the theoretical model (RMSEA=0.07,CFI=0.87,IFI=0.87), so that insecure attachment styles, in addition to their direct role, were able to significantly predict the symptoms of depression through theory of mind. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the quality of relation with caregivers affects the ability of child to understand the mental and emotional states of others. In addition, the deficits of theory of mind affect the cognitive capacity and the individual has a negative perception of others and their mental states and as a result, his ability to become depressed increases. According to the results, we can say that adopting appropriate methods for identifying risk factors and preventing or modifying these factors through clinical interventions seem beneficial.