TY - JOUR
PY - 2023//
TI - Child maltreatment as a risk factor for rejection sensitivity: a three-level meta-analytic review
JO - Trauma, violence, and abuse
A1 - Gao, Shuling
A1 - Assink, Mark
A1 - Bi, Chongzeng
A1 - Chan, Ko Ling
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - Theoretical and empirical evidence has suggested that child maltreatment victimization is associated with rejection sensitivity. However, empirical evidence on this association is inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to examine the overall association between child maltreatment and rejection sensitivity, and to investigate variables that may affect the strength of this association. Studies eligible for inclusion were searched in the databases: Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, MEDLINE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure after which relevant studies were coded. Studies were synthesized in advanced three-level meta-analytic models in R. A total of 16 studies (N = 5,335 participants) yielding 41 effect sizes were included.
RESULTS showed that child maltreatment is significantly and positively related to rejection sensitivity (mean r = 0.230; p < .001), and to a small extent. Furthermore, this association is stronger for emotional abuse (r = 0.275) than for physical abuse (r = 0.157). It is not affected by the mean age and gender distribution of primary study samples nor by sample type (community sample versus clinical sample). It is concluded that child maltreatment is a risk factor for developing rejection sensitivity later in life. Therefore, interventions for rejection sensitivity should consider potential trauma resulting from prior child maltreatment experiences.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 1524-8380 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/15248380231162979 ID - ref1 ER -