Poster #224 - Effects of Insecure Attachment on Romantic Relational Aggression of College Students: Rejection Sensitivity as a Mediator

• In Event: 3-003 - Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Section - Social Relationships

Integrative Statement

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of rejection sensitivity in the link between insecure attachment and relational aggression of college students. Unlike other forms of aggression, relational aggression involves behaviors that strike directly at the core attachment needs like belonging, acceptance, and intimacy (Oka et al., 2014). Although there is ample evidence linking insecure attachment and relational aggression within a romantic relationship, little is known about the psychological processes underlying this association. Downey and her associates have proposed a cognitive-affective processing disposition, rejection sensitivity (Downey, Bonica, & Ricon, 1999). It is a disposition to anxiously or angrily expect, readily perceive, and react intensely to rejection (Downey, Lebolt, Rincon, & Freitas). According to this model, rejection sensitivity develops when children's needs are repeatedly met with rejection from parents thus they come to expect significant others to reject them. When rejection is perceived from significant others, this anxious expectation and readiness to perceive rejection may facilitate feelings of hurt and anger, and even aggressive reactions (Levy, Ayduk, & Downey, 2001). Therefore, we hypothesized that individuals who have experienced a legacy of rejection experiences from their parents during childhood might develop subsequent close romantic relationships with heightened expectations of rejection, in turn, leading high levels of relational aggression toward their partner.
A sample of 244 college students (41.4% male) currently in committed relationships participated in South Korea. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess insecure attachment with their parents in childhood (Early Parental Attachment Scale; Kim, 2016), rejection sensitivity (Rejection Sensitivity Scale; Park & Yang, 2017), and romantic relational aggression (Self-Report of Aggression and Social Behavior Measure; Morales & Crick, 1998).
Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed moderate positive associations among insecure attachment, relational aggression, and rejection sensitivity. That is, insecure attachment was related to high rejection sensitivity (r = .31, p<.001) as well as greater relational aggression
(r = .28, p<.001). Also, higher rejection sensitivity was related to greater relational aggression (r = .37, p<.001). Testing mediating effects of rejection sensitivity using PROCESS macro showed that insecure attachment was linked to relational aggression directly and indirectly via rejection sensitivity. First, the direct effect of insecure attachment was significant (CI95: .067- .351). Second, the indirect effect of insecure attachment on relational aggression through rejection sensitivity was also significant (CI95: .060- .196). That is, higher levels of insecure attachment were related to higher rejection sensitivity (β= .29, p<.001), which in turn, was linked to greater relational aggression.
The findings support the rejection sensitivity model (Downey, Bonica, & Ricon, 1999), suggesting the highlighted role of rejection sensitivity which may increase relational aggression within a romantic relationship. The attachment theory and the rejection sensitivity model may provide a useful framework for how to understand the escalation of relational aggression in intimate relationships.

Authors

• Jungwon Choi, Korea University
  Presenting Author

• Minseong Kim, Korea University
  Non-Presenting Author

• JungHa Lim, Korea University
  Non-Presenting Author