Attachment and psychological well‐being among adolescents with and without disabilities in Kenya: The mediating role of identity formation

Abstract

The current study is aimed at evaluating the relationship between attachment and identity development, and their influence on psychological well‐being in adolescents with and without disabilities in Kenya. The sample was composed of 296 adolescents (151 with disabilities and 145 without any disability). The mean age in our sample was 16.84 years (SD = 1.75). Adolescents with disabilities had significantly lower scores in identity formation, paternal attachment, and life satisfaction. A path model indicated that identity formation partially mediated the relationship between secure attachment and psychological well‐being. Our findings indicate that both parent and peer attachment play an important role in the identity formation and psychological well‐being of adolescents in Kenya, irrespective of a disabling condition. A multigroup analysis indicated that while the structure of the relationship between variables held for groups, the pattern and strength of the relationships differed. Implications for practice, especially the guidance and counseling services in schools, are discussed.

Correlates of the quality of life of adolescents in families affected by HIV/AIDS in Benue state, Nigeria

“…Such background factors may include disease conditions (Northam, Lin, Finch et al, 2010), difficult life experience (Nsereko, Musisi, Nakigudde et al, 2014; Horn, 2010; Okawa, Yasuoka, Ishikawa, et al, 2011) and other community or family level characteristics whose consequences on the psychosocial variables may significantly affect their impacts on the adolescents’ functioning. In developed countries such as the United States of America (USA), a family-based treatment (FBT) study involving family members of adolescents suffering from Anorexia nervosa (AN) reported poorer psychosocial adjustment among siblings of adolescents with AN compared to their peers, both before and after FBT (Abubakar, Alonso-Arbiol, Van de Vijver et al, 2013). In another report, psychosocial problems were implicated in serious mental illnesses and suicide attempts among 10% of college students in the USA (van Langenberg, Sawyer, Grange et al, 2016].…”

Adult Attachment Orientations and Subjective Well-Being: Emotional Intelligence and Self-Esteem as Moderators

“…Although previous researchers have shown the direct association of adult attachment orientations with SWB (e.g., Abubakar et al, 2013), little is known about the mechanisms underlying them. Therefore, in this study, we built a multiple mediation model based on attachment theory, especially the role of adult attachment in emotion regulation .…”

“…Researchers have shown that attachment theory is a valid framework for understanding individual variations in happiness (Mikulincer, Shaver, & Pereg, 2003), and many have provided empirical evidence to support the idea that good quality family relationships may contribute to a sense of well-being. For example, secure attachment has been found to be positively correlated with well-being (Abubakar et al, 2013), whereas attachment anxiety and avoidance both have been demonstrated to be negatively correlated with life satisfaction and well-being (Lavy & LittmanOvadia, 2011).…”

Peer and Parent Attachment and Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents from Diaspora Families in Bawean Island

“…In previous studies, peer attachment had a positive relationship with teen life satisfaction. Furthermore, several studies also show that attachment to peers is the second most important predictor after parents affecting adolescent welfare (Abubakar et al, 2013). In another study also explained that peer and parent attachments are also very influential on the development of identity in adolescence (S & Butt F, 2016).One explanation for the relationship between attachment and life satisfaction is that attachment to peers is not only believed to create patterns that influence the way we form bonds of future attachment but also shapes the way youth perceive the world and also behave (Bowlby, 1982).…”

“…In addition, in the study of Abu Bakar and friends also proved that both parents and peers play an important role in the formation of the identity and psychological well-being of adolescents in Kenya. (Abubakar et al, 2013).…”