The relationship between adult attachment and depression in Korean mothers during the first 2 years postpartum: A moderated mediation model of self-esteem and maternal efficacy

•Examined a potential moderated mediation pathway connecting attachment and depression.•Preoccupied/fearful types influenced depressive symptoms via self-esteem.•The mediating effect of self-esteem was moderated by mother’s parenting efficacy.•Maternal depression benefits from intervention targeting the mother’s parenting efficacy.

This study examined a possible pathway to better understand the relationships between attachment schema and maternal depression through self-esteem and maternal self-efficacy. Questionnaires regarding attachment style, self-esteem, maternal self-efficacy, and depression were completed by 176 mothers who visited paediatrics centres. The results showed that self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between preoccupied attachment and maternal depression and partially mediated the association between fearful attachment and maternal depression. The mediating effects of self-esteem in the relationship between insecure attachments (preoccupied and fearful types) were moderated by the mother’s parenting efficacy. More specifically, mothers with high maternal efficacy (scores ⩾ 32, upper 10th percentile) were protected from the detrimental impact of attachment insecurity and low self-esteem on maternal depression, compared with mothers with low parenting-efficacy. Maternal depression benefits from intervention targeting the mother’s parenting efficacy.