Rejection Sensitivity and Borderline Personality Disorder Features: The Mediating Roles of Attachment Anxiety, Need to Belong, and Self-Criticism

Rejection hypersensitivity has been considered the core feature of patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, little is known about the possible developmental mechanisms that might explain the association between rejection sensitivity and BPD features. The current study investigated the mediating roles of adult attachment, need to belong, and self-criticism in the association between rejection sensitivity and BPD features in 256 healthy adults. Results indicated that attachment anxiety, need to belong, and self-criticism mediated the association between rejection sensitivity and BPD features. However, attachment anxiety and self-criticism did not moderate the mediated association between rejection sensitivity and BPD features. The findings suggest that individuals with high rejection sensitivity are more likely to be anxiously attached to significant others, which might increase the desire to be accepted by others. To satisfy this elevated need to affiliate with others, these individuals might become more self-critical, which may contribute to high BPD features.