Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity in Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: Mediator of Depressive Symptoms and Anger Suppression

• NCJ Number: 222996
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2004 Pages: 90-107
• Author(s): Jane A. Luterek; Gerlinde C. Harb; Richard G. Heimberg; Brian P. Marx
• Date Published: January 2004
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated whether interpersonal rejection sensitivity served a mediating role between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and three long-term psychological correlates of CSA in adult female survivors: depressive symptoms, anger suppression, and attenuated emotional expression.

Abstract

The study found that the previously reported relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) experiences and adult depression was mediated by the trait of interpersonal rejection sensitivity. This mediational model demonstrates that sexual abuse during childhood appears to exert its influence on the development of depressive symptoms through the presence of increased vigilance to interpersonal rejection. Also, attenuated emotional expression and suppression of angry feelings in adulthood were related to a history of CSA. Interpersonal rejection sensitivity was a partial mediator between CSA and anger suppression; however, it did not mediate the relationship between CSA and attenuated emotional expression. The results have important implications for therapy with women who have experienced CSA. If interpersonal rejection sensitivity plays a central role in depressive symptoms among CSA survivors, therapies that target interpersonal rejection sensitivity may reduce depression or prevent future depressive episodes. CSA has far-reaching effects on survivors including a broad range of intrapersonal and interpersonal difficulties in adulthood and although the relationship between CSA and depression is well documented, the nature of this relationship is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether interpersonal rejection sensitivity served as a mediator between CSA and later depression and examine whether the pattern of suppressing emotions in CSA survivors was specific to angry feelings or a general means of dealing with emotions and whether it could be accounted for by interpersonal rejection sensitivity. Participants included 355 female undergraduates. Tables, references