The Counseling Psychologist, Ahead of Print.
This study examined a conceptual model depicting the direct and indirect relationships between attachment insecurity, state hope, belongingness, meaning in life (MIL), and three wellness indicators (i.e., life satisfaction, physical health, and depression) of first-generation Latinx immigrants in the United States. Results of structural equation modeling analysis showed adequate model fit with the data from a sample of 288 individuals. The final model indicated that the link between comfort-seeking attachment and wellness was fully mediated by hope, belongingness, and MIL; the relation between anxious-distancing attachment and wellness was fully mediated by belongingness and MIL but not hope. Specifically, participants with high levels of attachment security reported greater wellness via experiencing a stronger sense of belonging, state hope, and MIL. We discuss future directions and implications for counseling and theory from an attachment theory, positive psychology, and immigration perspective.