TY - JOUR
T1 - Insecure attachment, dysfunctional attitudes, and low self-esteem predicting prospective symptoms of depression and anxiety during adolescence
AU - Lee, Adabel
AU - Hankin, Benjamin L.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported, in part, by a National Institute of Mental Health grant R03-MH 066845 and a National Science Foundation grant 0554924 to Benjamin L. Hankin.
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - This study extends the existing adult literature on insecure attachment as a predictor of depression and anxiety by examining these pathways in a sample of adolescents. In addition, dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem were tested as mediators of the association between insecure attachment and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Youth (N=350; 6th-10th graders) completed self-report measures of attachment, dysfunctional attitudes, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a 4-wave prospective study. Results indicate that anxious and avoidant attachment each predicted changes in both depression and anxiety (after controlling for initial symptom levels). The association between anxious attachment, but not avoidant attachment, and later internalizing symptoms was mediated by dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem. Effects remained even after controlling for initial co-occurring symptoms.
AB - This study extends the existing adult literature on insecure attachment as a predictor of depression and anxiety by examining these pathways in a sample of adolescents. In addition, dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem were tested as mediators of the association between insecure attachment and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Youth (N=350; 6th-10th graders) completed self-report measures of attachment, dysfunctional attitudes, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a 4-wave prospective study. Results indicate that anxious and avoidant attachment each predicted changes in both depression and anxiety (after controlling for initial symptom levels). The association between anxious attachment, but not avoidant attachment, and later internalizing symptoms was mediated by dysfunctional attitudes and low self-esteem. Effects remained even after controlling for initial co-occurring symptoms.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67650153259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67650153259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15374410802698396
DO - 10.1080/15374410802698396
M3 - Article
C2 - 19283600
AN - SCOPUS:67650153259
SN - 1537-4416
VL - 38
SP - 219
EP - 231
JO - Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
JF - Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
IS - 2
ER -