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Cited by 341Child Abuse and TraumaAttachment and Relationship DynamicsDeath Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Rejection sensitivity as a mediator of the impact of childhood exposure to family violence on adult attachment behavior

Feldman, Scott, Downey, Geraldine·1994·Development and Psychopathology
DOI 10.1017/s0954579400005976
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Abstract

Substantial evidence indicates a link between exposure to family violence in childhood and troubled social relationships. We draw on attachment and social-cognitive theory to formulate a model of the mechanisms underlying this association. The model proposes that early experiences of overt rejection (e.g., physical maltreatment) or covert rejection (e.g., emotional neglect) are internalized as sensitivity to rejection. In this study, we operationalize sensitivity to rejection in social-cognitive terms as a tendency to expect and be concerned about rejection across a range of social situations. We hypothesize that rejection sensitivity mediates the link between exposure to family violence and adult attachment behavior. Data from a survey of 212 undergraduates support this hypothesis and also provide evidence that indicates sensitivity to rejection underlies both avoidant and ambivalent patterns of insecure adult attachment behavior. Overall, the results illustrate the power of a process approach to explaining the developmental sequelae of maltreatment.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0954579400005976

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  • Five studies indicated physical abuse significantly correlated with rejection sensitivity.

    “Five studies indicated physical abuse significantly correlated with RS (Bungert, Liebke, et al., 2015;Erozkan, 2015;Feldman & Downey, 1994;Hernandez, Trout, & Liu, 2016;Kahya, 2018) and three studies indicated physical neglect correlated significantly (Bungert, Liebke, et al., 2015;Goodman et al., 2014;Kahya, 2018).”

    From The link between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2019) · cites this paper as Feldman & Downey, 1994

  • Early rejection experiences from primary caregivers, such as neglect or abuse, can give rise to an Internal Working Model characterised by expectations of, and hypervigilance to, rejection.

    “Early rejection experiences from primary caregivers, such as neglect or abuse, can give rise to an Internal Working Model characterised by expectations of, and hypervigilance to, rejection (Feldman & Downey, 1994).”

    From The link between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2019) · cites this paper as Feldman & Downey, 1994

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Authors
Feldman, S., & Downey, G.
Affiliations
Columbia University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Feldman, Scott
  • Downey, Geraldine
ORCID
Downey, Geraldine
Venue
Development and Psychopathology
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
1994
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
231-247
ISSN
  • 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-2198
DOI
10.1017/s0954579400005976
OpenAlex
W2137483772
Cited by
341
References
12
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 17
FWCI
2.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 5417 d)
Locations
  • Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Keywords
rejection sensitivity, childhood family violence, adult attachment, insecure attachment, attachment avoidance, ambivalent attachment, physical abuse, emotional neglect, social rejection, social cognitive theory, attachment theory, mediation

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