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Adults’ Remembrances of Parental Acceptance–Rejection in Childhood Predict Current Rejection Sensitivity in Adulthood
Author(s) -
Ibrahim Dara M.,
Rohner Ronald P.,
Smith Rhian L.,
Flannery Kaitlin M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
family and consumer sciences research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.372
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1552-3934
pISSN - 1077-727X
DOI - 10.1111/fcsr.12119
Subject(s) - developmental psychology , psychology , early adulthood , sensitivity (control systems) , young adult , social rejection , social psychology , social relation , electronic engineering , engineering
Interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory predicts that the experience of parental rejection in childhood leads to the development of rejection sensitivity that tends to extend into adulthood. This study provides the first test of this prediction within the framework of the theory. Self‐report surveys were administered to 271 undergraduates ( M age = 21.73). Adults’ remembrances of both maternal and paternal acceptance–rejection in childhood were significantly related to their current levels of rejection sensitivity. Moreover, acceptance–rejection from the same‐sex parent explained more of the variance in rejection sensitivity than did acceptance–rejection from the other‐sex parent.