Depression and Anxiety among Gay and Bisexual Men: Testing a Mediated Moderation Model of Mindfulness and Adult Attachment

Abstract

For sexual minority men (SMM), attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance are evidenced to predict poor mental health (e.g., depression and anxiety). While mindfulness is known to mediate this relationship among the general population, it has yet to be examined among SMM. This study examined the interaction of attachment anxiety and avoidance, and the mediating effect of mindfulness, in predicting symptoms of depression and anxiety among a sample of gay and bisexual men (GBM) in the U.S. We used regression-based path analyses to test the interaction of attachment anxiety and avoidance on symptoms of anxiety and depression. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively associated with mental health symptoms. In the model predicting anxiety, we found a significant interaction, indicating that individuals high in attachment anxiety and avoidance had the highest BSI scores. In model 2, direct effects for attachment anxiety and avoidance remained significant, and mindfulness was negatively associated with both mental health symptoms. Significant indirect effects from attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, through mindfulness, to both depressive and anxiety symptoms were observed. No evidence of mediated moderation was found. Our findings show that attachment is an important predictor of mental health among GBM and support previous research on the mediating role of mindfulness in this association.