The mediating role of responsibility and courage in the relationship between secure attachment and ontological well-being

The aim of the present study is to examine the mediating role of courage and responsibility in the relationship between secure attachment and ontological well-being. The sample of the study, which used a survey model and quantitative methods, consisted of 724 university students studying at Pamukkale University. The data for the study were collected using the Existential Satisfaction Scale, which was adapted for this study, as well as the Meaningful Life Scale, the Adlerian Courage Scale, the Responsibility Scale, and the Parent and Friend Attachment Inventory Short Form. The role of responsibility and courage in the relationship between secure attachment and ontological well-being was examined through structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The findings showed that the model-data fit was close to perfect. Furthermore, it showed that secure attachment directly predicted responsibility, courage, and ontological well-being; that responsibility and courage also directly predicted ontological well-being; and that secure attachment indirectly predicted ontological well-being through responsibility and courage. Responsibility and courage were found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between secure attachment and ontological well-being. Further analyses revealed that the developed model showed significant differences according to gender. While the effect of secure attachment on ontological well-being was significant in men both directly and through responsibility and courage, the indirect effect in women occurred only through courage.