Attachment, self-esteem, and subjective well-being among people in China aged 50 and over: The role of self-compassion

Abstract

We explored the relationships among adult attachment, self-esteem, and subjective well-being of older people, and the moderating role of self-compassion. Using data obtained from a survey conducted with 308 community-dwelling adults aged from 51 to 79 years in China's Shandong Province, we found that self-esteem mediated the effects of attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance on subjective well-being. Furthermore, self-compassion not only moderated the relationship between attachment anxiety and self-esteem, but also moderated the mediating effect of self-esteem in the relationship between attachment anxiety and subjective well-being. The results not only extend understanding of the relationships that exist between adult attachment and subjective well-being, but also have implications for improving the psychological health and well-being of adults in later life.