The present study evaluated a theoretical model proposing that generalized perceptions of social support and specific support expectations mediate the relations between attachment working models of parents and personal adjustment. Participants were 459 students who completed measures of attachment, social support, loneliness, and anxiety at the end of high school. Evaluation of the model by the EQS method indicated an acceptable level of fit, with the model explaining 51 percent of the variance of personal adjustment problems. General and specific expectations of social support were shown to be different constructs each mediating the relation between attachment and adjustment. These perceptions provided a unique contribution to explaining personal adjustment at the end of high school. The results are discussed in light of the relations between attachment, perceptions of social support, and social cognitive theories.
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