Rejection Sensitivity and Social Support as Predictors of Peer Victimization among Youth with Psychiatric Illness

<p>In this study, I examined whether rejection sensitivity and perceptions of social support predicted concurrent peer victimization in a sample of adolescents with psychiatric illness. Participants included 43 adolescents, aged 12-18 with diverse psychiatric diagnoses, who were recruited from a summer residential treatment program. Participants completed measures of peer victimization, perceptions of social support, and rejection sensitivity. Participants also completed the global victimization item in the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, which allowed for comparison of rates of peer victimization across studies (Solberg & Olweus, 2003). Results replicate and extend previous research that indicates adolescents with psychiatric illness experience high rates of peer victimization (Cook, William, Guerra, & Kim, 2009; Hunt, Peters, & Rapee, 2012; Kärnä et al., 2011). Additionally, adolescents high in rejection sensitivity reported lower rates of peer victimization, and adolescents who perceive greater social support from parents, peers, and mentors evidenced lower peer victimization. Results do not support evidence of an interaction between perceptions of social support and rejection sensitivity. Taken together, the unique peer victimization experiences for youth with psychiatric illness have specific implications for researchers and practitioners. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Psychology (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2020

Author dc:creator

• Hyde, Katherine C.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Cavell, Timothy A.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bridges, Ana J.
• Leen-Feldner, Ellen W.

• adolescence
• peer victimization
• perceived social support
• psychiatric illness
• rejection sensitivity
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognition and Perception
• Psychological Phenomena and Processes
• Social Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/3753

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uark.edu:etd-5303