Distal predictors of trait driving anger. The influence of attachment styles through the mediation effect of general anger and self-esteem

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Vol. 73; pp. 382 - 390
• Main Authors: Herrero-Fernández, David, Redondo, Iratxe, Parada-Fernández, Pamela, Oliva-Macías, Mireia, Rohwer, Heidi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2020; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Anger; Attachment styles; Automobile drivers; Behavioral decision theory; Driving anger; Personality traits; Self esteem; Self sufficiency; Trait general anger; Attachment styles; Self-esteem; Driving anger; Trait general anger
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2020.07.005

•Distal predictors of trait driving anger in young Spanish drivers were explored.•Attachment, general anger, self-esteem, and driving anger are explored.•Driving anger predicted general anger, self-esteem, and insecure attachment styles.•General anger and self-esteem mediated between attachment and driving anger. Trait driving anger has been widely studied in recent years. However, whereas its proximal (personality) correlates have been well established, possible distal variables have not yet been explored. The aim of the current research study was to analyse the association of attachment styles with trait driving anger, by testing the hypothesis that both trait general anger and self-esteem would mediate this relationship. The results revealed positive and significant relationships between preoccupation, self-sufficiency, value of parental authority and parental interference, and trait driving anger. Furthermore, a SEM-based multiple mediation analysis showed that both trait general anger and self-esteem significantly mediated the relationship between preoccupation and trait driving anger, and self-sufficiency and trait driving anger, with a medium effect size (f2 = 0.16). Finally, some aspects of the research in this new area are addressed, and both the clinical implications of these results and the limitations of the study are discussed.