The mediating role of affect in the association between parent attachment and moral disengagement. A cross-sectional study in adolescence

The current study explored the association between parent attachment and moral disengagement, addressing the mediating effects of affect (i.e. positive affect, negative affect, and social safeness). Through a cross-sectional design, the research was carried out with 410 participants (meanage = 15.35 years, SDage = 1.10 years; rangeage = 14–17 years) whose 199 (48.5%) were girls and the remaining 211 (51.5%) were boys. Participants performed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Social Safeness and Pleasure Scale (SSPS), and the Moral Disengagement Scale (MDS). The results revealed that parent attachment affected adolescents’ moral disengagement through the mediating effect of all facets of affects, including positive affect, negative affect, and social safeness. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms linking parent attachment and adolescents’ disposition toward moral disengagement. Based on these findings, a key recommendation is the implementation of family-based interventions that enhance secure parent-child attachment, as this may serve as a protective factor against moral disengagement in adolescents. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.