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Self-silencing Mediates the Relationship Between Rejection Sensitivity and Intimate Partner Violence
Elizabeth M Inman1, Bonita London1
1Stony Brook University, NY, USA.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
|March 11, 2021
Summary
Rejection sensitivity predicts intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration among college students. Self-silencing mediates this relationship, highlighting its role in IPV experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects over one-third of Americans, with college students being a vulnerable population.
- Previous research linked rejection sensitivity to aggressive behavior in relationships, but primarily in male samples.
- Self-silencing is associated with rejection sensitivity and both hostile and ingratiating behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between rejection sensitivity and intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences.
- To examine the mediating role of self-silencing in the link between rejection sensitivity and IPV.
- To extend prior research by including both victimization and perpetration of IPV in a diverse college student sample.
Main Methods:
- Survey data collected from 410 college students at a large northeastern US university.
- Statistical mediation analyses were employed to test the proposed relationships.
- The study examined rejection sensitivity, self-silencing, and experiences of IPV (victimization and perpetration).
Main Results:
- Rejection sensitivity was found to predict intimate partner violence victimization through self-silencing.
- Rejection sensitivity also predicted intimate partner violence perpetration, mediated by self-silencing.
- Neither gender nor race significantly moderated the pathways in the mediation models.
Conclusions:
- Self-silencing plays a crucial mediating role in how rejection sensitivity relates to both experiencing and perpetrating intimate partner violence.
- Findings underscore the importance of considering individual difference variables, such as rejection sensitivity and self-silencing, in IPV research and intervention.
- Results suggest that interventions targeting self-silencing may help mitigate IPV risk associated with rejection sensitivity.
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