The Mediating Role of Dispositional Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Parental and Romantic Attachment

The attachment styles formed early in life within the family context have been shown to be related to those formed in future relationships, notably the romantic relationships experienced as adults. One way of managing or altering negative behaviors or instinctive reactions in response to situations that evoke pain or stress is to increase mindfulness. As mindfulness is something that can be developed, a deeper understanding of its role in mediating the relationship between parental and romantic attachment styles may open up new developmental avenues for more effective therapy interventions. The present study aims to examine the link between mindfulness and the interplay between parental and romantic attachment styles; specifically, it explores the potentially important role of dispositional mindfulness in the context of family and romantic relationship interactions. The data used in this study were collected using questionnaire surveys distributed to 195 first-year psychology students, chosen as young people transitioning towards adulthood. The results showed a positive correlation between attachment styles (both parental and romantic) and dispositional mindfulness, in line with the results of previous studies. Statistical analyses were based on a structural equation modeling framework to determine the degree to which dispositional mindfulness mediates the existing links between parental and romantic attachment styles adequately fitted the data only for attachment to the mother. Future studies focused on examining the effectiveness of therapy designed to enhance dispositional mindfulness could deepen understanding of the interpersonal processes active both in romantic relationships and in different family contexts.