Testing an Attachment Model of Latina/o College Students’ Psychological Adjustment

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of attachment relationships on the psychological adjustment of Latina/o university students ( N = 80) attending predominantly White institutions of higher education.A path analysis conducted to test a hypothesized model of parent and peer attachment, self-esteem, and psychological distress indicated that the final model provided good model-to-data fit, explaining 21% of the variance in self-esteem and 50% of the variance in psychological distress. Furthermore, bootstrapping procedures suggested that perceptions of self-worth mediated the relationships between parent and peer attachment and psychological distress. Results indicate that attachment theory may provide a useful framework from which to conceptualize the psychological adjustment of Latinas/os attending predominantly White institutions of higher education. Implications for universities and helping professionals are discussed.