Rejection In Childhood Research Articles

Remembered Parental Rejection and Psychological Maladjustment in Turkish Adults: The Mediating Role of Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity

This study examined interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory’s (IPARTheory’s) prediction that adults’ (both men’s and women’s) remembrances of parental (maternal and paternal) rejection in childhood are likely to be associated with adults’ psychological maladjustment, as mediated by adults’ interpersonal rejection sensitivity. To test these predictions a sample of 372 adults (178 women, 193 men; age range 18–59 and Sd: 11) in Turkiye participated in the study. Respondents completed the short forms of the Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire for both mother and father, the Adult Personality Assessment Questionnaire (short form), the Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity Scale, and the Personal Information Form. In line with this aim, this study examined the direct effect and indirect effect of adults’ memories of parental acceptance-rejection in childhood on adults’ psychological maladjustment through the mediator variable (rejection sensitivity) depending on age. The findings indicated that adults’ remembrances of paternal rejection during childhood independently predicted their interpersonal rejection sensitivity and psychological maladjustment. Mediation analyses revealed that rejection sensitivity partially mediated the relationship between parental rejection (both maternal and paternal) and psychological maladjustment in men. However, in women, while it partially mediated the relationship between paternal rejection and psychological maladjustment, it fully mediated the relationship between maternal rejection and psychological maladjustment. These findings offer evidence supporting the connections between childhood remembrances of parental rejection psychological maladjustment, and interpersonal rejection sensitivity in adults.

Memories of Parental Acceptance and Rejection Predict Forgiveness and Vengeance in the Muslim World: Introduction and Overview

The studies in this special issue on forgiveness and vengeance in the Muslim world explore three hypotheses drawn from interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory (IPARTheory): (1) Adults’ memories of maternal and paternal acceptance in childhood are associated with the disposition toward forgiveness, as mediated by psychological adjustment. (2) Adults’ memories of maternal and paternal rejection in childhood are associated with the disposition toward vengeance, as mediated by psychological maladjustment. (3) There are no significant gender differences in relations between adults’ (men’s and women’s) memories of parental acceptance-rejection in childhood and adults’ disposition toward forgiveness or vengeance, as mediated by psychological (mal)adjustment. Results of most studies reported here conclude that memories of parental (maternal and paternal) acceptance in childhood are significantly related to men’s and women’s disposition toward forgiveness and vengeance as mediated by psychological (mal)adjustment. However, gender and cultural differences also sometimes appear as significant contributors.

Hippocampal volume mediates the relationship of parental rejection in childhood with social cognition in healthy adults

Childhood abuse reduces hippocampal and amygdala volumes and impairs social cognition, including the ability to recognize facial expressions. However, these associations have been studied primarily in individuals with a history of severe abuse and psychiatric symptoms; researchers have not determined whether these associations can also be observed in healthy adults. In the present study, we analyzed data from 400 healthy adults (208 men and 192 women) at Tamagawa University. Parental rejection reflecting childhood abuse was assessed using the short form of Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran, while social cognition was assessed using the “Fake Smile Detection Task.” Hippocampal and amygdala volumes were extracted from T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data using FreeSurfer. We found that greater parental rejection resulted in smaller hippocampal and amygdala volumes and poorer performance in the Fake Smile Detection Task. Structural equation modeling analysis supported the model that hippocampal volume mediates maternal rejection effect on performance on the Fake Smile Detection Task, with involvement of the amygdala. These findings are in line with the structural and functional connectivity found between the hippocampus and amygdala and their joint involvement in social cognition. Therefore, parental rejection may affect hippocampal and amygdala volumes and social cognitive function even in symptom-free adults.

Remembrances of childhood rejection and loneliness in female university students: a mediating role of rejection sensitivity

Remembrances of childhood rejection and loneliness in female university students: a mediating role of rejection sensitivity

All you fear is love: The roles of rejection by intimate others

AbstractInterpersonal acceptance‐rejection theory (IPARTheory) asserts that recollections of parental rejection in childhood tend to result in psychological maladjustment and intimacy problems in later romantic relationships. Informed by IPARTheory, we investigated the association between maternal & paternal rejection, and fear of intimacy by the mediating role of psychological maladjustment in a Turkish sample with 462 mostly young adults. We further explored the moderator role of gender in Model 1 and the moderating roles of both gender and intimate partner rejection in Model 2. Model 1 revealed that adults who had experienced maternal and paternal rejection in childhood tended to be psychologically maladjusted. Consequently, they also tended to have a fear of intimacy, regardless of gender. Model 2 revealed that women who recall having been rejected in childhood by their mothers tended to be psychologically maladjusted and to have a significant fear of intimacy when they also experienced moderate or more than moderate intimate‐partner rejection. However, both women and men who experienced paternal rejection in childhood tended to be psychologically maladjusted and to experience a greater fear of intimacy when they perceived any degree of intimate partner rejection. Implications of the results for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

“Euphoria”: Trans children and experiences of prepubertal social transition

AbstractObjectiveThis research explored experiences of prepubertal social transition, listening to trans children who were affirmed in childhood, as well as hearing from their parents.BackgroundDespite being a topic of significant importance, there is limited qualitative literature on parents' or indeed children's experiences of prepubertal social transition and little qualitative research on how childhood rejection or affirmation influences well‐being.MethodThis study examines qualitative data from 30 parents with experience supporting a trans child to socially transition at average age 7 years (range 3–10 years), alongside data from 10 of the trans children. Data were analyzed through inductive reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThe first major theme explored experiences pretransition, with subthemes on children correcting assumptions, becoming distressed, struggling alone, reaching crisis, or growing withdrawn and frustrated. The second major theme examined experiences posttransition, with subthemes on a weight being lifted, validation at school, and well‐being.ConclusionThis qualitative research complements existing quantitative evidence on the importance of social transition, with childhood affirmation critical to the happiness and well‐being of trans children.ImplicationsThe research has significant relevance for parents of trans children, professionals working with families, and policymakers and legislators influencing policy and practice toward trans children and their families.

'If I don't Do It, I'm Out of Rhythm and I Can't Focus As Well': Positive and Negative Adult Interpretations of Therapies Aimed at 'Fixing' Their Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Childhood.

Restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) are observed in many children presenting with characteristics of autism and are frequently the targets of psychological interventions. This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to identify positive and negative interpretations from four young adults who received behavioural interventions in their childhood designed to 'fix' RRBs. Two superordinate themes were identified: (1) Doubt, stigma and being fixed according to others, and (2) Embracing Authenticity. They highlighted juxtaposed positions from exclusion, rejection, criticism, and self-doubt in childhood, to rejecting societal censure and embracing authentic growth in adult life. As adults, though the participants recognised themselves as neurologically different from others, they redefined themselves through a lens of neurodiversity, and therefore as not needing to be fixed.

Чувствителност към отхвърляне в зряла възраст и взаимовръзката му с възприето родителско приемане-отхвърляне в детството

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationships between perceived maternal and paternal acceptance–rejection in childhood on the one hand, and rejection sensitivity in adulthood on the other hand. The sample consisted of 300 adults: 59 males (19.7%) and 241 females (80.3%) aged 18–49 (M = 34.33; SD = 10.475). The means used for collecting the data included a Parental Acceptance- Rejection Questionnaire/Control, Adult, Mother and Father Version, and the Interpersonal Rejection Sensitivity Scale. The results showed that adults’ remembrance regarding perceived maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection during childhood had a significant correlation with their current level of rejection sensitivity. We examined two age groups (early and middle adulthood), and there were significant age differences. The relationship between perceived parental rejection and rejection sensitivity was stronger in younger participants than in older ones. These results were interpreted within the framework of IPARTheory.

The Interaction Effect of Parental Rejection and Oxytocin Receptor Gene Polymorphism on Depression: A Cross-Cultural Study in Non-Clinical Samples

Parental rejection has been consistently empirically implicated in a wide array of developmental, behavioural and psychological problems worldwide. However, the interaction effect between parental rejection in childhood and the oxytocin receptor genotype on psychological adjustment has yet to be investigated. The present study aimed to investigate gene–environment interaction effects between parental rejection (maternal and paternal) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene polymorphisms (rs53576 and rs2254298) on depressive symptoms in adults in different cultural contexts. Adults from Italy and Japan (N = 133, age = 18–27 years, females = 68) were preliminarily genotyped and then completed the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire for mothers and fathers and the Beck Depression Inventory. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that paternal rejection was related to self-reported depression and that the effect of parental rejection was moderated by OXTR gene polymorphisms and nationality. Among Italians, OXTR rs2254298 A-carriers showed resilience to negative early parental care, whereas among Japanese, OXTR rs53576 non-A-carriers showed resistance to negative early paternal care. These findings align with expected relations between perceived acceptance–rejection and an individual’s psychological adjustment, as proposed by interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory, and indicate the need for future studies adopting a multicultural and multilevel approach to better understand how the effects of parental rejection extend into adulthood.

Memories of Parental Rejection in Childhood and Current Psychological Maladjustment Predict Substance Abuse in a Collectivist Religious Country

Memories of Parental Rejection in Childhood and Current Psychological Maladjustment Predict Substance Abuse in a Collectivist Religious Country

Disorganized attachment behaviors in infancy as predictors of brain morphology and peer rejection in late childhood.

Studies show robust links between disorganized attachment in infancy and socioemotional maladjustment in childhood. Little is known, however, about the links between disorganized attachment and brain development, and whether attachment-related differences in brain morphology translate into meaningful variations in child socioemotional functioning. This study examined the links between infants' disorganized attachment behaviors toward their mothers, whole-brain regional grey matter volume and thickness, and peer rejection in late childhood. Thirty-three children and their mothers took part in this study. The Strange Situation Procedure was used to assess mother-infant attachment when infants were 18 months old. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed when they were 10 years old to assess cortical thickness and grey matter volumes. Children and teachers reported on peer rejection 1 year later, as an indicator of socioemotional maladjustment. Results indicated that disorganized attachment was not associated with grey matter volumes. However, children who exhibited more disorganized attachment behaviors in infancy had significantly thicker cortices in bilateral middle and superior frontal gyri, and extending to theinferior frontal gyrus, as well as the orbitofrontal and insular cortices in the right hemisphere in late childhood. Moreover, children with thicker cortices in these regions experienced greater peer rejection, as rated by themselves and their teachers. Although preliminary, these results are the first to indicate that disorganized attachment may play a role in cortical thickness development and that changes in cortical thickness are associated with differences in child socioemotional functioning.

Peer-reported bullying, rejection and hallucinatory experiences in childhood.

ObjectivePsychotic experiences, such as hallucinations, occur commonly in children and have been related to bullying victimization. However, whether bullying perpetration, peer rejection, or peer acceptance are related to hallucinatory experiences has remained under‐examined. We used a novel peer nomination method to examine whether (i) bullying perpetration and (ii) social positions within peer networks were associated with future hallucinatory experiences.MethodsThis prospective study was embedded in the population‐based Generation R Study. Bullying perpetration, peer rejection, and peer acceptance were assessed using peer nominations at age 7 years (N = 925). Using a social network analysis, we estimated social positions within peer rejection and acceptance networks. Bullying victimization was assessed using self‐reports. Self‐reported hallucinatory experiences were assessed at age 10 years. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic covariates.ResultsHigher levels of bullying perpetration were prospectively associated with an increased burden of hallucinatory experiences (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.05–1.43, p = 0.011). Bullies had a 50% higher, and bully‐victims had a 89% higher odds, of endorsing hallucinatory experiences three years later than children who were not involved in bullying (ORbully = 1.50, 95% CI 1.01–2.24, p = 0.045; ORbully‐victim = 1.89, 95% CI 1.15–3.10, p = 0.012). Unfavorable positions within peer rejection networks, but not peer acceptance networks, were associated with an increased risk for hallucinatory experiences (ORpeer rejection = 1.24, 95% CI 1.07–1.44, p FDR‐corrected = 0.024).ConclusionUsing peer reports, we observed that bullies and socially rejected children have a higher likelihood to report hallucinatory experiences in pre‐adolescence. Children who are both a bully and a victim of bullying (ie, bully‐victims) may be particularly vulnerable for psychotic experiences.

Mothers' Self-focused Reflective Functioning Interacts with Childhood Experiences of Rejection to Predict Current Romantic Relationship Quality and Parenting Behavior.

Parents exposed to rejection in their childhood could experience bonding disturbances in their current relationships. Reflective functioning (RF), the capacity to understand one's own and others' behavior through the lens of underlying mental states (cognitions, emotions), has been identified as a potential protective process. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine whether RF moderates the effect of parents' experiences of rejection in childhood on later relationship functioning with partners and infants. Pregnant women with experiences of abuse and neglect were recruited and completed the Adult Attachment Interview, which was coded for RF and experiences of childhood rejection. During two follow-up assessments, when their infants were 5 and 17months old, the mothers in our sample who had partners reported on dyadic cohesion with these partners. Further, at 5months postnatal, mothers completed interaction tasks with their infants, which were later assessed using observational measures (i.e., CARE-Index). Results of mothers with partners (N=93) indicated that RF moderated the relationship between dyadic cohesion with partners at 17months only. Additionally, results with all mothers in the sample (N=108) indicated that RF moderated the relationship between retrospectively reported experiences of rejection and controlling and unresponsive behaviors with infants. Adequate-to-high RF was associated with lower unresponsiveness and higher relationship satisfaction in the context of rejection, while being associated with higher levels of control. These findings have important clinical implications, as RF is amenable to change and can therefore be more prominently implemented within various interventions.

The Knowledge and Behaviours of the Healthcare Staff Regarding Vaccine Rejection

Abstract Background Vaccination is a cost-effective method to protect individuals from diseases and complications that might emerge due to diseases. The healthcare staff in primary healthcare services, as the primary body concerned with vaccines, are notably more likely to encounter families who reject vaccines in childhood. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of the healthcare staff in primary healthcare services regarding vaccine rejection in childhood. Methods Conducted between July and August 2019, this study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design. The population of the study comprised 392 healthcare staff working in primary healthcare services in Malatya City Centre. The sample size was calculated as 193, considering a 95% confidence interval and 80% power. The survey form used in the study included questions concerning sociodemographic characteristics of individuals, their views on vaccination and the views of parents regarding vaccine rejection according to the perspectives of the healthcare staff. Chi-square test was used in statistical analyses, and the significance level was set as p < 0.05. Results In the study group, 25.4% of the healthcare staff stated that they were hesitant about vaccines in childhood. Also, 18.2% of the individuals indicated that they were hesitant about vaccines due to the chemicals in vaccines, 14.4% were hesitant due to the pharmaceutical industry and the relationships based on self-interest and 10.5% were hesitant due to the side effects. The hesitancy level was significantly higher among those whose source of information regarding vaccines in childhood was the internet (37.0%) compared with those whose source was not the internet (21.6%) (p = 0.004). Conclusions One-fourth of the healthcare staff, who are supposed to be the most informed group about vaccines, were hesitant about them. Moreover, the inaccurate information acquired from the internet and social media could be increasing the hesitancy level. Key messages Vaccination hesitancy is high among the healthcare staff in primary healthcare services. The source of information regarding vaccination influences the hesitancy levels of individuals.

Predicting differentiated developmental trajectories of prosocial behavior: A 12-year longitudinal study of children facing early risks and vulnerabilities

The current study examined the heterogeneity in the development of school-based prosocial behavior from Grades 1 to 12 and the role of multiple early childhood antecedents in predicting heterogeneous developmental trajectories of prosocial behavior in a sample of 784 children facing early risks and vulnerabilities (predominantly from low-income families and academically at risk; 52.6% male). In alignment with the risk and resilience framework, antecedents consisted of risk and protective factors from both individual (i.e., ego-resilient personality, behavior problems, intelligence, academic performance, gender, and ethnicity) and contextual domains (i.e., maternal support and responsiveness, family socioeconomic adversity, teacher–child warmth and conflict, and peer acceptance and rejection). We identified four distinct prosocial trajectories including a high-stable (52.5%), high-desisting (15%), moderate-increasing (20.6%), and low-stable class (11.9%). Results revealed that the low-stable, high-desisting, and moderate-increasing classes were associated with lower ego resiliency, higher behavior problems, lower teacher–child warmth, higher teacher–child conflict, and peer rejection in early childhood, compared to the high-stable group. Boys and African Americans were more likely to be in the low-stable, high-desisting, and moderate-increasing classes. Individual characteristics such as ego-resilient personality and contextual influences such as teacher–child warmth served as common protective antecedents. Interestingly, teacher–child conflict served as a unique predictor for the high-desisting class, and behavior problems and peer rejection served as unique predictors for the low-stable class.

Psychological maladjustment mediates the relation between recollections of parental rejection in childhood and adults’ fear of intimacy in Italy

Grounded in interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory, this study examined the relation between recollections of parental rejection during childhood and fear of intimacy (FOI) in adulthood, as mediated by adults’ psychological maladjustment. In Study 1, the Fear of Intimacy Scale (FIS) was adapted for use in Italy. Its psychometric properties were investigated in a sample of 635 adults (51% women; 18–35 years). Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and measurement invariance analysis showed that the Italian version of the FIS is a valid, reliable, and gender invariant scale. In Study 2, the relations among adults’ recollections of maternal and paternal rejection in childhood, current psychological maladjustment, and self-reported general FOI were investigated in a sample of 360 Italian adults (51% women; 18–35 years). Path analysis showed that the association between recollections of parental rejection during childhood and FOI in adulthood is fully mediated by psychological maladjustment, particularly emotional unresponsiveness, negative self-esteem, and dependency. This model was not moderated by gender. These results provide useful indications for the design of interventions aimed at reducing FOI.

The Effects of Past Parental and Maternal Rejection in Childhood on Adults' Current Psychological Maladjustments: ACorrelational and Comparative Study

This study investigatedperceived parental and maternal rejection (hostility aggression, indifference/neglect, and undifferentiated rejection), as experienced and remembered by adults, andits relationships totheir current depression, anxiety and stress symptoms.In order to assess adults' perceptions of the degree of parental and maternal rejection received during childhood,asampleof two hundred and ninety-five( n= 295) adults in Kuwait from six Kuwaiti governerates completed the Arabic version of the adultsParental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ)Father &Mother versions, developed by (Rohner,Saaverda, & Granum, 1980)standardized inArabic by Salama (1986a). In addition, theDepression- Anxiety- Stress Scales-42(DASS-42) developed by Lovibond, and Lovibond (1995a) a version modified by, Lovibond, and Laube(2001)standardized in Arabic by,Moussawas used.The results indicated that males recalled their fathers' aggression and hostility and undifferentiated rejection more than females. In addition, perceivedpaternal rejection was found to be more influential than perceived maternal rejection. Moreover, the results indicated that there were low to moderate correlations between adults' currentfeelings of depression, anxiety, and stress with parental maternal rejection. The findings recommend parents to modify their parenting styles to alleviatefuture psychological maladjustmentsin their children. In addition, this study provides some insight into the impact of perceived parental rejection on future psychological maladjustment in children.

Psychological maladjustment mediates the link between remembrances of parental rejection in childhood and loneliness in adulthood: A cross-cultural comparative study.

Drawing stimulus from interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory, this multicultural study examined relations between men's versus women's remembrances of maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection in childhood and their current level of loneliness, as mediated by adults' self-reported psychological maladjustment. Adults (N =899) from five nations (Iraq, Italy, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States) responded to the Adult version of the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire-short form for mothers and fathers, the Adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire-short form, and the Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Loneliness Scale. Adults' remembrances of maternal and paternal rejection in childhood significantly and independently predicted feelings of loneliness but remembered paternal rejection was more strongly related to these feelings than were remembrances of maternal rejection. Psychological maladjustment fully mediated the effect of remembered maternal rejection but only partially mediated the effect of remembered paternal rejection on loneliness. There were no significant differences in these results across the five countries or genders. Overall, the results suggest that adults' remembrances of parental rejection in childhood-along with the theoretically expected development of psychological maladjustment-are likely to be associated panculturally with the experience of loneliness in adulthood.

Executive function in the school context: The role of peer relationships

AbstractTheoretical accounts and experimental data on young children have shown that executive functions (EFs) are predicted by experiential factors. However, studies on school‐aged children are rare. The present study has addressed this gap using a short‐term cross‐lagged longitudinal design focusing on the relationship between working memory (WM), conflict inhibition (CI), and peer acceptance (PA) and rejection (PR) in middle childhood. 245 children, aged 8 to 12 years at Time 1 (M = 10.03 years, SD = 1.21 years), were tested three times over 1 year. SEM showed that (a) PA at Times 1 and 2 positively predicted WM at Times 2 and 3 and (b) PR at Time 1 negatively predicted CI at Time 2. Our findings are in line with the view that EFs are significantly affected by children's social life at school and are interpreted in light of the regulatory depletion model and of the socio‐constructivist models.Highlights We examine cross‐lagged associations between children's peer relationships and executive functions in the school context. Peer acceptance predicts working memory development and peer rejection predicts inhibition development in middle childhood. Executive functioning development is sensitive to children's social experiences with peers at school.

Perceived Parental Acceptance–Rejection in Childhood Predict Psychological Adjustment and Rejection Sensitivity in Adulthood

The present study examined relationships between childhood parental acceptance–rejection and the current psychological adjustment and rejection sensitivity of young adult men and women. The study also explored independent effects of childhood parental acceptance–rejection on the current psychological adjustment and rejection sensitivity of young adult men and women. Data were collected from 514 university students (49% female and 51% male) in Bangladesh. The mean age of the respondents was 22 years with a range of 18 through 26 years. Measures used were Adult version (short form) of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire for Mothers and Fathers, the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the Adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire. Results revealed significant correlations between remembered maternal and paternal acceptance–rejection in childhood and current psychological adjustment and rejection sensitivity of young adult men and women. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that both maternal and paternal acceptance in childhood have significant independent effects on the current psychological adjustment of both male and female young adults. Results also showed that perceived paternal rejection in childhood has significant independent effects on the rejection sensitivity of both young adult men and women, but perceived maternal rejection in childhood has no significant effects on the rejection sensitivity of young adult men and women.