The need for affiliation and depression amidst the post-acute pandemic: The mediation of self-esteem and moderation of insecure attachment among university students

Jackelyn De Alwis, Guangyuan Shi, Yan Li and Wei Xu

Children and Youth Services Review, 2024, vol. 164, issue C

Abstract: The study investigated the connection between the need for affiliation and depression in Chinese university students, considering the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating effect of insecure attachment (both anxious and avoidant). Involving 804 students from two Chinese universities, participants provided self-reports on affiliation desire, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and assessments of insecure attachment. The findings revealed that self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between the need for affiliation and depression. Both anxious and avoidant attachment styles moderated the connection between self-esteem and depression. A simple slopes analysis showed that high anxious attachment intensified the link between low self-esteem and high depression. Similarly, high avoidant attachment exacerbated the association between low self-esteem and higher levels of depression. The implications of these findings were discussed, emphasizing their significance for mental health support and interventions targeting university students.

Keywords: Need for affiliation; Depression; Self-esteem; Insecure attachment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:164:y:2024:i:c:s0190740924004353

DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107863

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