The goal of this study was to examine both the direct and indirect relations of parent and peer attachment with self-esteem and to examine the potential mediating roles of empathy and social behavior. 246 college students (Mage = 18.6 years, s.d. = 1.61) completed self-report measures of parent and peer attachment, empathy, social behavior, and self-esteem. Structural equation modeling revealed that parental attachment had mostly direct effects on self-esteem. Among females, the links between peer attachment and self-esteem, however, were entirely mediated by empathy and prosocial behavior. The findings from this study suggest that although close supportive relationships with parents and peers are related to adolescent self-esteem, these links are complex
