Affect and self-esteem as mediators between trait resilience and psychological adjustment

• Self-esteem mediated the relationship between resilience and life satisfaction.
• Affect–self-esteem sequentially intervened between resilience and life satisfaction.
• Positive and negative affect mediated between resilience and psychological distress.
• Self-esteem mediated the relationship of resilience and psychological distress.
• Affect–self-esteem serially mediated between resilience and psychological distress.

The primary purpose of the current study was to examine the potential sequential mediation effects of affect and self-esteem on the association between trait resilience and psychological adjustment, as indexed by life satisfaction and psychological distress. A total of 412 undergraduate students completed a packet of questionnaires that assessed trait resilience, positive and negative affect, self-esteem, life satisfaction and psychological distress. Mediation analyses showed that self-esteem mediated the relation between trait resilience and life satisfaction. In addition, positive affect, negative affect, and self-esteem were found to intervene between trait resilience and psychological distress. Furthermore, the sequential mediation effects of affect–self-esteem on the relations between trait resilience and life satisfaction as well as psychological distress were confirmed. Results are discussed in light of previous findings. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are briefly discussed.