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Special Section: Romantic Relationships

Rejection Sensitivity, Self-Esteem Instability, and Relationship Outcomes

The Mediating Role of Responsibility Attributions

Published Online:January 01, 2011https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000066

Abstract

This study examined whether responsibility attributions for self and partner behaviors differentially mediate the link between rejection sensitivity (RS), unstable self-esteem (USE), and relationship outcomes (i.e., violence and silencing the self, STS). Individuals in dating relationships in Turkey (N = 177) completed the measures of attributions for self and partner behaviors, RS, USE, violence, and STS. The results indicated that RS and USE had indirect effects on violence via attributions for partner behaviors. Attributions for self-behaviors mediated the relationship between RS together with USE and silencing the self-behaviors. Furthermore, USE was directly associated with silencing the self behaviors. The findings were discussed in terms of theoretical and practical implications as well as directions for future research.

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