TPC Journal Volume 11 Issue 2

136 The Professional Counselor | Volume 11, Issue 2 The Multiple-Mediator Model The multiple-mediator model involving self-esteem and adult attachment as mediators, with bootstrapping procedures, yielded satisfactory fit indices: χ 2 (1) = 12.24, p < .001, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 0.96, SRMR = .01. However, the index of RMSEA = .08, 90% CI [0.05, 0.12] indicated a mediocre fit, with the upper value of 90% CI larger than the suggested cutoff score of 0.08. D. A. Kenny et al. (2015) suggested that the models with small degrees of freedom had the average width of the 90% CI above 0.10, unless the sample size was extremely large. The nonsignificant χ 2 value was interpreted as a good fit index. The present study further revealed that secure childhood attachment was associated with high self- esteem (β = .25, p < .001) and low levels of anxiety (β = -.12, p < .001) and avoidance (β = -.41, p < .001) of adult attachment. Meanwhile, high self-esteem was associated with low anxiety (β = -.95, p < .001) and low avoidance (β = -.64, p < .001) of adult attachment. In addition, high self-esteem (β = -.68, p < .001) and low adult attachment anxiety (β = .26, p < .001) and avoidance (β = .11, p < .001) were significantly associated with low psychological distress. The results supported both Hypotheses 2 and 3 in that self-esteem mediated the relationship between childhood attachment and adult attachment, and adult attachment mediated the relationship between self-esteem and psychological distress. The mediating role of self-esteem was examined using bootstrapping procedures. Results demonstrated that self-esteem significantly mediated the association between childhood attachment and adult attachment anxiety ( b = -.24, 95% CI [-0.27, -0.21]) and avoidance ( b = -.16, 95% CI [-0.19, -0.14]). The present study further supported the mediating role of adult attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidance). The association between self-esteem and psychological distress was significantly mediated by both adult attachment anxiety ( b = -.24, 95% CI [-0.29, -0.21]) and avoidance ( b = -.07, 95% CI [-0.10, -0.05]). Mediation effects are denoted in Table 3. Table 3 Mediation Analysis With Bootstrapping: Unstandardized and Standardized Estimates and Confidence Intervals for Mediation Effects Note. Bootstrap J = 2,000, CI = confidence interval; IV = independent variable; DV = dependent variable; CA = Childhood Attachment; SE = Self-Esteem; AnA = Anxious Adult Attachment; AvA = Avoidant Adult Attachment; PD = Psychological Distress. Direct effect of path direction, IV → Mediator, Mediator → DV, IV → DV. Statistical significance was evaluated based on whether 95% bias corrected bootstrap CIs include zero or not. If zero was included in the CI, then it was not a significant indirect effect. Model fit: χ 2 (1) = 12.24, p < .001, CFI = 1.00, TLI = 0.96, SRMR = .01, RMSEA = .08 (90% CI [0.05, 0.12]). * p < .05. ** p < .01. *** p < .001 (two-tailed). Path IV Mediators DV Direct Effect (Standardized and Unstandardized path coefficients) Indirect Effect 95% CI Unstandardized b(SE) Standardized B(SE) Unstandardized b(SE) Standardized B(SE) Unstandardized CA → SE → AnA 0.25(0.02) *** -0.95(0.05) *** -0.12(0.03) *** 0.38(0.02) *** -0.45(0.02) *** -0.09(0.02) *** -0.24(0.02) *** -0.17(0.01) *** [-0.27, -0.21] CA → SE → AvA 0.25(0.02) *** -0.64(0.05) *** -0.41(0.03) *** 0.38(0.02) *** -0.33(0.02) *** -0.32(0.03) *** -0.16(0.02) *** -0.13(0.01) *** [-0.19, -0.14] SE → AnA → PD -0.95(0.05) *** 0.26(0.02) *** -0.68(0.04) *** -0.45(0.02) *** 0.33(0.02) *** -0.41(0.02) *** -0.24(0.02) *** -0.15(0.01) *** [-0.29, -0.21] SE → AvA → PD -0.64(0.05) *** 0.11(0.02) *** -0.68(0.04) *** -0.33(0.02) *** 0.13(0.02) *** -0.41(0.02) *** -0.07(0.01) *** -0.04(0.01) *** [-0.10, -0.05]