Construct validity and reliability of the adult rejection sensitivity questionnaire: a comparison of three factor models (original) (raw)
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Associations between rejection sensitivity and mental health outcomes: A meta-analytic review
Clinical Psychology Review
This is the first meta-analysis examining rejection sensitivity and mental health. • Rejection sensitivity is moderately associated with several mental health problems. • The associations were similar for clinical and non-clinical samples. • The association between rejection sensitivity and anxiety seems stronger for males. • Paying attention to rejection sensitivity in clinical practice is recommended.
Rejection sensitivity as a vulnerability marker for depressive symptom deterioration in men
Consistent across time and cultures, men and male adolescents older than 14 years of age appear underrepresented in mood disorders, and are far less likely than women to seek psychological help. The much higher rate of suicide amongst males suggests that depression in men might be underreported. One of the core human motives is to seek acceptance by others and avoid rejection. Rejection Sensitivity (RS) has been conceptualized as the cogni-tive-affective processing disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely respond to cues of rejection in the behavior of others. RS has been previously linked with the onset and course of depression, but—as yet—has not been investigated longitudinally in a clinical population. We investigated the predictive role of RS to symptom deterioration 6 months after end-of-treatment in 72 male inpatients with depressive spectrum disorder. The BDI was administered at intake, end-of-treatment and 6 month follow-up. RS scores were obtained at intake. Rejection Sensitivity had additional predictive power on BDI scores at 6 months follow-up controlling for BDI scores at end-of-treatment (ΔR 2 = .095). The results are discussed in terms of the importance of targeting RS during treatment, and highlight the fact that therapeutic follow-up care is paramount. Future research should investigate possible mediators of the RS–relapse-to-depression association, such as self-blame, rumination, neuroticism, pessimism, emotion dysregulation, and low self-esteem.
2021
Rejection Sensitivity (RS) is defined as the disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and overreact to social rejection cues. Aim of the two studies presented in this paper was to develop and administer an instrument to assess RS in a German sample of healthy (pre)adolescents as well as in a clinical sample. The English Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (CRSQ) was translated, adapted, and presented to a non-clinical sample (N = 128) (Study I) to identify psychometric properties of the instrument. In Study II, the resulting questionnaire was completed by a mixed clinical sample (N = 50). Differences in results between samples, and the relation between rejection sensitivity and mental distress were investigated. The resulting German version of the questionnaire CRSQ (German: Fragebogen zur Zurückweisungsempfindlichkeit für Kinder und Jugendliche, FZE-K) showed good psychometric properties. Differences between samples provide insight into the diversity of the con...
The Development and Validation of the Age-Based Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire
The Gerontologist, 2009
There is much evidence suggesting that older adults are often negatively affected by aging stereotypes; however, no method to identify individual differences in vulnerability to these effects has yet been developed. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid questionnaire to measure individual differences in the tendency to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to age-based rejection among older adults: the Age-Based Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ-Age). Design and Methods: A pilot sample of older adults was asked to identify situations in which negative outcomes related to being an older adult might occur. From these responses, 58 scenarios representing 8 domains and themes were identifi ed. Thirty initial items were created from this pool of scenarios, and this 30-item RSQ-Age underwent intensive testing and refi nement to create the fi nal 15-item RSQ-Age. The 15-item RSQ-Age was assessed for internal and test-retest reliability, as well as construct validity. Results: Results revealed that the RSQ-Age has good internal (a = .91) and test-retest, r (72) = .74, p < .01, reliability and is a valid measure of age-based rejection sensitivity (RS). Construct validity was supported by correlations with personal RS, age-based stigma consciousness, self-consciousness, awareness of ageism, and selfesteem. Implications: The RSQ-Age is a useful measure for researchers and health care workers interested in the relationships between expectancy, perceptions, and reactions to age-based stigma and subsequent cognitive, behavioral, and health-related consequences.
An interpersonal circumplex/five-factor analysis of the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire
Personality and Individual Differences, 2003
Rejection sensitive persons expect others to reject them, readily interpret ambiguous interpersonal cues as rejection, and overreact to rejection, real or imagined . Rejection sensitivity-as assessed by the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ)-is psychologically distressing and predicts relationship problems, but questions remain about the measurement properties of the RSQ. For this study, the interpersonal circumplex and five-factor models provided the framework for a comprehensive mapping of rejection sensitivity in the personality domain. College students completed the RSQ, the Interpersonal Adjective Scales Revised-Big Five , and measures of theoretically relevant constructs. The RSQ had significant interpersonal content, as expected, its angular placement was between IASR-B5 octant scales HI (Unassured-Submissive) and FG (Aloof-Introverted), and it was correlated significantly with Neuroticism. It appears, then, that rejection sensitive persons, as identified by the RSQ, are more likely to avoid rejection by distancing themselves from others, rather than by seeking intimate relationships. The RSQ has adequate psychometric properties, but valid tests of rejection sensitivity as a variable linking early attachment problems to later rejection-avoidance strategies require the inclusion of additional measures. # (J.B. Brookings).
Rejection sensitivity is a cognitive-affective processing disposition, whereby individuals anxiously expect, readily perceive, and overreact to rejection. These characteristics are believed to emerge in response to rejection and interpersonal trauma experienced in childhood and adolescence. Maladaptive cognitions and affective responses to rejection might subsequently This journey would not have been complete without the help of many people. I have said it countless times how fortunate I have been to work with such a supportive and dedicated supervisor, Dr. Hymie Anisman. As a supervisor and mentor, he has given me so many opportunities to grow, both as an academic and as a person. I will cherish all the times sitting in his office, receiving words of encouragement, listening to old stories, or just discussing life. Dr. Kim Matheson has also been exceptionally supportive in helping me grow professionally, and providing opportunities to escape the city for much needed breaks. I would not be where I am today without the help of both Dr. Robyn McQuaid and Dr. Opal McInnis. As mentors, they helped navigate the confusing world of graduate school; as friends, made the journey entertaining (to say the least). I am personally indebted to Marc Bedard, who has been a great source of support over the past two years, as well as my fellow lab mates. Lastly, I must thank my family for helping me through this journey, I am eternally grateful. v
Rejection sensitivity and college student depression: Findings and implications for counseling.
Journal of College Counseling, 2008
This study examined whether rejection sensitivity, or the fear of interpersonal rejection, was related to depression among college students. The regression model that resulted from the study indicated that level of rejection sensitivity accounted for approximately 11% of variance in depression among students in the research. Implications for college counseling practice and research are provided.
The present study aimed to examine the moderating effects of self-esteem and socio-demographics of gender, age, family system, and the number of friends on the relationship between rejection sensitivity and psychological well-being. Participants were adolescents (n = 112; M = 16 years) and emerging adults (n = 189; M = 23 years) who belonged to nuclear (n = 181) or combined family system (n = 120) and had limited friends (n = 185) or numerous friends (n = 116). Almost an equal number of boys (n = 150) and girls (n = 151) responded to the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale. The hypothesis stated that rejection sensitivity will predict poor psychological well-being, and high self-esteem will decrease the negative effects of rejection sensitivity on psychological well-being. Findings indicated that rejection sensitivity was a significant negative predictor of psychological well-being and accounted for 14% of the v...
Rejection Sensitivity and Depression: Mediation by Stress Generation
Rejection sensitivity has been found to confer risk for depression. The process through which this occurs remains unclear. This risk factor also has been associated with negative behavioral tendencies and interpersonal difficulties. Drawing on these different lines of research, the current investigation aimed to evaluate stress generation, the tendency for depression-prone individuals to experience higher rates of life stressors that are at least in part influenced by their own behavior, as a potential mechanism mediating the link between rejection sensitivity and subsequent depressive symptoms. Sixty-six adults with a history of depression were followed over a 4-month interval and completed assessments of rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms at baseline, and depressive symptoms, a diagnostic interview for depression, and a contextual threat life stress interview at 4-month follow-up. Consistent with the stress generation hypothesis, rejection sensitivity predicted higher rates of dependent stressors, but not independent ones, over the 4-month prospective follow-up period. Furthermore, prospectively occurring dependent stressors mediated the relationship between baseline rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms at follow-up. The finding that stress generation may operate as a mediating mechanism underlying the pathway between rejection sensitivity and depression lends preliminary support for the importance of targeting maladaptive behavioral tendencies in rejection-sensitive individuals in clinical settings.