Etiological Pathways to Rejection Sensitivity in a High-Risk Sample

• Published in: Personality & social psychology bulletin Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 715 - 727
• Main Authors: Godleski, Stephanie A., Eiden, Rina D., Kachadourian, Lorig, Lucke, Joseph F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.05.2019; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Alcoholism; Attachment; Child; Child development; Child of Impaired Parents - psychology; Child, Preschool; Childhood; Conditioning, Psychological; Etiology; Family conflict; Family Conflict - psychology; Female; High risk; Humans; Infancy; Infant; Life course; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Maternal Behavior - psychology; Object Attachment; Parents & parenting; Prevention programs; Prospective Studies; Psychological Theory; Risk; Social Distance; Social Learning; maternal harshness; rejection sensitivity; family conflict
• ISSN: 0146-1672; 1552-7433
• DOI: 10.1177/0146167218795486

Rejection sensitivity is associated with social–emotional maladjustment in both childhood and adulthood. However, less is known about the etiology of rejection sensitivity. The present study tests an etiological model for rejection sensitivity using a high-risk sample (N = 227) with prospective data from infancy (i.e., 12 months) to adolescence (i.e., eighth grade). Evidence for social learning and attachment theories was demonstrated. In particular, family and parenting factors, such as family conflict and maternal harshness, were predictive of rejection sensitivity in adolescence. Implications for intervention and prevention efforts are discussed.