Comparing reports of peer rejection: associations with rejection sensitivity, victimization, aggression, and friendship.
Perceiving that one is rejected is an important correlate of emotional maladjustment. Yet, self-perceptions can substantially differ from classmate-reports of who is rejected. In this study, discrepancies between self- and classmate-reports of rejection were identified in 359 Australian adolescents (age 10-12 years). As expected, adolescents who overestimated rejection reported more rejection sensitivity and felt more victimized by their peers, but were not seen by peers as more victimized. Adolescents who underestimated rejection identified themselves as high in overt aggression, and their peers identified them as high in overt and relational aggression and low in prosocial behavior. Yet, underestimators' feelings of friendship satisfaction did not seem to suffer and they reported low rejection sensitivity. Results suggest that interventions to promote adolescent health should explicitly recognize the different needs of those who do and do not seem to perceive their high rejection, as well as adolescents who overestimate their rejection.
Griffith University, School of Applied Psychology and Griffith Health Institute, Behavioural Basis of Health, Gold Coast, Australia. Electronic address: m.zimmer-gembeck@griffith.edu.au.
Melanie J
MJ
Zimmer-Gembeck
Drew
D
Nesdale
Leanne
L
McGregor
Shawna
S
Mastro
Belinda
B
Goodwin
Geraldine
G
Downey
D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010379:Peer Group; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012928:Social Desirability
Aggression; Friendship; Peer relationships; Rejection; Victimization