THE ROLE OF INTIMACY, BELONGING, SELF-ESTEEM INTHE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANXIOUS, AVOIDANT ATTACHMENT AND FORGIVENESS AMONG MARRIED IRANIAN WOMEN

Abstract

This study focuses on examining the mediating effect of intimacy, belonging, self-esteem on the relationships between anxious, avoidant attachment and forgiveness among Iranian married women. Data were collected from 435 women and the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) method was applied to analyse the data. The results revealed that the impacts of anxious and avoidant attachment on forgiveness were meaningful. Also, empirical evidence was found for the mediating role of intimacy, belonging, and self-esteem on the relationship between avoidant attachment and forgiveness and also belonging and self-esteem on the relationship between anxious attachment and forgiveness. Results of this study suggest that the most accurate model of the relationship between attachment, intimacy, belonging, self-esteem, and forgiveness involves evaluating direct indirect effects. Marriage counselors and therapists can use these results to gain a deeper understanding of the foundations of marital life in Iran in terms of psychoeducational and therapeutic interventions.