title: Pathways to self-esteem in late adolescence: the role of parent and peer attachment, empathy, and social behaviours.
abstract: The goal of this study was to examine both the direct and indirect relations of parent and peer attachment with self-esteem and to examine the potential mediating roles of empathy and social behaviour. 246 college students (M age = 18.6 years, S.D. = 1.61) completed self-report measures of parent and peer attachment, empathy, social behaviour, and self-esteem. Structural equation modelling revealed that parental attachment had mostly direct effects on self-esteem. Among females, the links between peer attachment and self-esteem, however, were entirely mediated by empathy and prosocial behaviour. The findings from this study suggest that although close supportive relationships with parents and peers are related to adolescent self-esteem, these links are complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275-0442, USA. dlaible@mail.smu.edu
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Laible
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlo
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Roesch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009769:Object Attachment; D010290:Parents; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology