Attachment Styles, Self-Esteem and Rejection Sensitivity among University Students

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine: the association between attachment styles (i.e. secure, fearful, pre-occupied and dismissing), self-esteem and rejection sensitivity level among university students; and to explore the mediating role of selfesteem between relationship of preoccupied attachment style with rejection sensitivity. The sample consisted of 409 students (181 men and 228 women) with age range of 18-26 years from public and private universities of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore. Measures used were Relationship Scales Questionnaire (Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994), Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (Feldman & Downy, 1996). Correlation analysis revealed that secure attachment style is significantly negatively related to rejection sensitivity level whereas fearful, preoccupied and dismissing attachment styles were significantly positively related to rejection sensitivity level among university students. Further, it is indicated that only preoccupied attachment style is found significantly negatively related to self-esteem. Furthermore, the mediation analysis showed that the relationship between preoccupied attachment style and rejection sensitivity was partially mediated by self-esteem.