Investigating the mediating role of attachment styles to parents and peers in predicting aggression and social self-efficacy among adolescents referred to healthcare centers in Zahedan

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of attachment styles to parents and peers in predicting aggression and social self-efficacy among adolescents. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive-correlational (predictive) study that regarded as an applicable study in terms of its objective. The statistical population included all adolescents referred to healthcare centers in Zahedan whom based on the latest statistics, were more than 190 adolescents. Using Morgan’s table, the sample size was determined 122 people. A convenience sampling method was applied to select the sample and the measurement tools were the Armsden and Greeberg Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (1987), the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (1992), and the Connolly Scale of Social Self-Efficacy (1989). Research hypotheses were analyzed using the stepwise regression analysis via SPSS ver.22. Results: Among the components of attachment to peers and parents, in the first step, feeling alienated with peers explained 11% of the variance and, in the second step, feeling alienated with parents explained 18% of the variance in aggression among the adolescents at the confidence level of 0.99. Additionally, among the components of attachment to peers, only the component of communication with peers predicted 2.5% of the variance in social self-efficacy at confidence level of 0.95. Conclusion: Attachment to parents and peers is one of the important factors contributing to aggression and social self-efficacy among adolescents.