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.