Bound to thrive: self-efficacy and social support mediate the association of insecure attachment and resilience in healthy adults

Luisa Marie Schäfer; Konrad Schöniger; Luisa Maria Brunner; Philine König; Esther Zwiky; Antonia Küttner; Johanna Elea Hamann; Gina Sophie Scheiwe; Julia Andreev; Lena Esther Ptasczynski; Lara Fleischer; Marlen Korna; Emilie Wittig; Robin Kamrla; Janine Selle; Ronny Redlich

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1713328

Bound to thrive: self-efficacy and social support mediate the association of insecure attachment and resilience in healthy adults

Front Psychol. 2026 Mar 20:17:1713328. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1713328. eCollection 2026.

Authors

Luisa Marie Schäfer^#¹, Konrad Schöniger^#^{1

2}, Luisa Maria Brunner¹, Philine König¹, Esther Zwiky^{1

2}, Antonia Küttner¹, Johanna Elea Hamann¹, Gina Sophie Scheiwe¹, Julia Andreev¹, Lena Esther Ptasczynski¹, Lara Fleischer¹, Marlen Korna¹, Emilie Wittig¹, Robin Kamrla^{1

2}, Janine Selle^{1

2}, Ronny Redlich^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Halle, Halle, Germany.
² German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Halle, Germany.
³ Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Halle-Jena-Magdeburg, Halle, Germany.
⁴ Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Introduction: Insecure attachment is a risk factor and predictor for mental disorders and suicide. The connection between insecure attachment and resilience-a protective factor which contributes to mental health-is of particular interest, although pathways are poorly understood. This study presents a comprehensive, integrative framework, investigating the mediating effects of social support (external resource) and self-efficacy (internal resource) on the relationship between insecure attachment and resilience.

Methods: The sample comprised N = 339 healthy adults. Insecure attachment was analyzed using a refined version of existing dimensional approaches, assessing attachment anxiety and avoidance. Also, resilience, perceived social support, and self-efficacy were measured. Two distinct serial multiple mediator models were specified and tested to examine the differential direct and indirect pathways associated with anxiety and avoidance.

Results: Significant indirect effects via social support, self-efficacy, and their sequential combination were observed for both attachment anxiety and avoidance (all p < 0.05). The association between anxiety and resilience was partially mediated (direct effect: p < 0.001), whereas the association between avoidance and resilience was fully mediated (direct effect: p = 0.72).

Discussion: The results highlight differences in the underlying mechanisms of the dimensions: While the psychopathology of avoidance is straightforward, considering anxiety additional factors seem crucial. Social support and self-efficacy effectively buffer negative consequences of burden. The findings suggest a shift in focus within intervention research-from hard-to-modify attachment to the more accessible targets self-efficacy and social support.

Keywords: insecure attachment; mental well-being; protective factors; resilience; serial mediation analysis.