Possible Romantic Benefits of Rejection Sensitivity and Relational Anxiety, Avoidance, and Jealousy

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

Research has documented consistent links between rejection sensitivity and negative outcomes in romantic relationships (Downey et al., 1998). The current study aims to advance this research by examining how specific individual behaviors (e.g., anxiety, avoidance, and jealousy) might moderate associations between rejection sensitivity and qualities of romantic relationships over a three year period in early adulthood. Although rejection sensitivity is most typically linked with internal experiences of anxiety (Gao et al., 2017), it was hypothesized that related constructs such as relational avoidance and jealousy would also account for relationship outcomes via interactions with rejection sensitivity. Thus, this study ultimately sought to explore whether high levels of rejection sensitivity and high levels of relational anxiety, avoidance, or jealousy would predict negative romantic outcomes, or if perhaps these behaviors might interact to confer any romantic benefits.

Data for this study were obtained from a community sample of 184 youth (86 males, 98 females) at ages 21 and 24. The sample was demographically diverse (63% European-American, 27% African-American, and 14% mixed race or other race/ethnicities; baseline median family income was within $40,000 - $59,000 range). At age 21, rejection sensitivity was assessed via participant report on the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire; jealousy was assessed via the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale, and relational anxiety and avoidance were assessed using the Measure of Adult Romantic Attachment. At age 24, romantic relationship outcomes were assessed, including behaviorally coded observations of participant and partner engagement, self-disclosure, and instrumental and emotional support, and participant and romantic partner reports of punishment toward one another in the relationship.

Initial analyses indicated correlations between rejection sensitivity and relational anxiety (r = 0.28, p <0.001) and avoidance (r = 0.22, p <0.01), but not jealousy. Further analyses were conducted using hierarchical regression, controlling for participant gender and household income. A general, surprising, pattern emerged in which youth who reported both high rejection sensitivity and greater relational avoidance had romantic partners who made greater efforts to provide both instrumental (β = 0.43, p < 0.01) and emotional support (β = 0.30, p < 0.05), and to show greater engagement (β = 0.30, p < 0.01; see Figure 1) in the observed interaction with their partner, relative to less avoidant participants. Moreover, youth who reported higher rejection sensitivity and reported greater jealousy had romantic partners who self-disclosed more during the behavioral observation (β = 0.30, p < 0.05) and reported fewer punishment behaviors toward participants (β = -0.22, p < 0.05; see Figure 2) relative to less avoidant youth.

Interestingly, the presence of both high rejection sensitivity and high relational avoidance predicted future romantic partner behaviors that would be expected to strengthen rather than hurt the participants’ relationship. It may be that these romantic partners recognize avoidant tendencies in participants as outgrowths of rejection sensitivity, and desire to bring participants closer to them due to increased compassion for participants’ behavior. This possibility may be supported by observing that for highly avoidant, but low rejection sensitive youth, partners displayed much less positive behavior.

Authors

• David E. Szwedo, James Madison University
  Presenting Author

• Maddie Linn, James Madison University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emme Lis, James Madison University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emily Navina Shah, James Madison University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Joseph P Allen, University of Virginia - Charlottesville
  Non-Presenting Author