LAUSR

Previous research has established the relation between intact family structure and children’s adjustment and subjective well-being. However, the mechanism through which family structure was associated with children’s subjective well-being remained understudied. The current research investigated the sequential mediation effects of maternal attachment, peer attachment and self-efficacy on the relationship between family structure and emerging adults’ subjective well-being. The current sample included 538 college students from a Southeastern province in China, including 193 males and 345 females, with the average age of 19.61 (SD = 1.36). Those from intact families (n = 425, 79%) reported higher levels of subjective well-being than their counterparts from non-intact families (n = 113, 21%). In addition, non-intact family structure was associated with lower levels of maternal attachment, lower levels of peer attachment and general self-efficacy, which in turn was associated with lower levels of subjective well-being. The current findings added to the literature regarding the important role of intact family structure on emerging adults’ subjective well-being. Future prevention and intervention efforts might need to re-establish the security in maternal and peer attachment among youth from non-intact families in order to promote better adjustment and subjective well-being.