Graduation Term

2019

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Psychology: Clinical-Counseling Psychology

Committee Chair

Marla Reese-Weber

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to better understand the relationship between experiencing childhood sexual abuse, attachment, rejection, and risk recognition (risk appraisal and risk response). Participants consisted of 223 undergraduate women attending Illinois State University. A history of childhood abuse was reported by 37.7% of the participants. Participants completed a demographics questionnaire, the Hot Topics Survey, the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire, and the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire, Adult version (A-RSQ). Participants were under the impression that information was being gathered for an online dating application algorithm and were randomly assigned to either a rejection condition or a non-rejection condition, in which they were either told the algorithm patched them two or eight people respectively. After the rejection manipulation, participants read through a risk recognition vignette comprised of 13 scenes and indicated when they would stop feeling comfortable in the situation and when they would end the interaction. No moderation relationship was found between rejection sensitivity, the rejection manipulation, and risk recognition. There was a significant mediation relationship found between history of childhood sexual abuse, anxious attachment, and rejection sensitivity.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2019.Marshall.J

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Psychology Commons

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