Parental Attachment, Self-Worth, and Depressive Symptoms Among Emerging Adults

The characteristics of parental attachment were assessed for a sample of 81 emerging adults (ages 22–28 years) and their mothers. Emerging adults' reports of self-worth were found to mediate the relationship between their reports of parental attachment and depressive symptoms. The emerging adults' unique perspectives of the attachment relationship were more predictive of their self-reported self-worth and depressive symptoms than were the mothers' perspectives of the relationship.