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ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT.

mikasi
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ABSTRACT

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  1. ABSTRACT This poster examined the link between rejection sensitivity, self-silencing behaviors, and depressive symptomatology among middle and late adolescent dating couples. Three hypotheses were examined: 1) adolescents who possess expectations of rejection will be more likely to use self-silencing mechanisms in their romantic relationships; 2) self-silencing behaviors will be likely to elicit depressive symptoms in adolescents who are sensitive to rejection, and 3) self-silencing will be the process mediating the association between rejection sensitivity and depression. Support was found for all three hypotheses.

  2. INTRODUCTION • Rejection sensitivity has been associated with depressive symptomatology among college-aged women (Ayduk, Downey, & Kim, 2001). • Individuals who are sensitive to rejection may demonstrate self-sabotaging behaviors, such as self-silencing, to maintain intimate relationships (Purdie & Downey, 2000). • Self-silencing within a relationship has been linked to a loss of self (Jack, 1991) and depressive symptomatology (Harper, Welsh, Grello, & Dickson, in review).

  3. HYPOTHESES • Dating adolescents who are sensitive to rejection will be more likely to report depressive symptoms compared to dating adolescents who are less sensitive to rejection. • Dating adolescents who possess expectations of rejection will be more likely to use self-silencing mechanisms in their romantic relationships compared to dating adolescents who do not possess rejection expectations. • Self-silencing will be the process mediating the association between rejection sensitivity and depression.

  4. METHOD • Data are from the Study of Tennessee Adolescent Romantic Relationships (STARR; Welsh, 1999) • 51 middle (ages 14-17) and 93 late (ages 17-21) adolescent dating couples • Participants completed self-report questionnaires as part of a larger study. • Mediational models were tested using the Z’ method (MacKinnon, Lockwood, Hoffman, West, & Sheets, 2002).

  5. MEASURES • Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ; Downey & Feldman, 1996) - Rejection anxiety: “How concerned or anxious would you be over whether or not your boyfriend would want to see you?” - Rejection expectation: “I would expect that he would want to see me.” - alpha for males = .86; alpha for females = .91

  6. MEASURES • Silencing the Self (STSS; Jack, 1991) - measures self-silencing behaviors in relationships - “I don’t speak my feelings in an intimate relationship when I know they will cause disagreement.” - alpha for males = .75 ; alpha for females = .79

  7. MEASURES • Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD; Radloff, 1977) - measures depressive symptoms in past 2 wks - “I had crying spells.” - alpha for males = .85; alpha for females = .87

  8. Legend Males Females CORRELATIONS

  9. RESULTS • Hypothesis 1: Rejection sensitivity predicted depressive symptoms for both males (r2 = .14, p < .001) and for females (r2 = .21, p < .001). • Hypothesis 2: Rejection sensitivity predicted self-silencing behaviors for both males (r2 = .05, p < .01) and for females (r2 = .09, p < .001). • Hypothesis 3: Self-silencing mediated the relationship between rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms for both males (see Fig. 1) and females (see Fig. 2).

  10. Self-Silencing ß = 0.484** ß = 0.295** Rejection Sensitivity Depression ß = .871** Figure 1Mediational Model for Males Rejection Sensitivity ß = 1.014** Depression Sobel Test = 2.06 (p < .05).

  11. Self-Silencing ß = 1.014** ß = 0.236** Rejection Sensitivity Depression ß = 0.992** Figure 2Mediational Model for Females Rejection Sensitivity ß = 1.119** Depression Sobel Test = 1.92 (p < .05).

  12. DISCUSSION • Dating adolescents who are rejection-sensitive report more depressive symptoms compared to dating adolescents who are not sensitive to rejection. • Dating adolescents who are sensitive to rejection are more likely to use self-silencing behaviors than dating adolescents who are less sensitive to rejection. • Self-silencing partially mediates the relationship between rejection sensitivity and depressive symptomatology among middle and late adolescent dating couples. • There are additional unidentified mediators.

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