(PS4-C70) The Mediating Role of Rejection Sensitivity in the Relationship Between Parent-to-child Aggression and Internalizing Symptoms

Introduction
Childhood maltreatment by caregivers has been associated with increased mental health issues among adolescents, specifically with internalizing disorders such as anxiety and depression (Gardner et al., 2019; Negriff, 2020). Moreover, childhood maltreatment also relates to increased rejection sensitivity (RS) (Downey et al., 1997; Godleski et al., 2019). The RS model posits that repeated early experiences of rejection through maltreatment are internalized, leading to increased RS (Feldman & Downey, 1994). RS has also been associated with anxiety and depression (Gardner et al., 2020; Minihan et al., 2023). However, there is a limited understanding of RS as a potential underlying mechanism in explaining the relationship between parent-to-child aggression (PCA) and internalizing disorders. Therefore, this study aims to examine the mediating role of RS between PCA and the internalizing symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescents.

 Method
Adolescents (N=103, 61% girls; 78% White) aged 14-19 participated in an online cross-sectional study. They completed a measure of PCA adapted from the Adverse Childhood Experiences International questionnaire (Felitti et al., 2019) and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (Shelton et al., 1996),  the Rejection Sensitivity questionnaire (Downey & Feldman, 1996), and the short Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (Ebesutani et al., 2012).

Results
PCA significantly predicted both depressive symptoms, b=2.33, p< .001, and RS, b=1.30, p=.032. RS, in turn, predicted depressive symptoms, b=.17, p=.014. The indirect effect of PCA on depressive symptoms through RS showed partial mediation, b=.22, [CI .001, .111]. PCA significantly predicted anxiety symptoms, b=4.13, p< .001, and RS, b=1.30, p=.032. RS, in turn, predicted anxiety symptoms, b=.53, p=.001. The indirect effect of PCA on anxiety symptoms through RS showed partial mediation  b=.69, CI [.005, .146]. 

Discussion
These results suggest that increased PCA might increase RS, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of developing depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. Thus, these results highlight the role of RS as an underlying mechanism in explaining the relationship between childhood maltreatment and internalizing symptoms. These findings can be considered in interventions for adolescents who experience childhood maltreatment and are at risk for developing anxiety and depression (Rapee et al., 2019). Targeting RS in such interventions could possibly reduce anxiety and depression among adolescents who experienced PCA. However, since these results are correlational in nature, these results only provide a simple preliminary model of understanding the association between PCA and internalizing symptoms. Hence, future studies should conduct prospective, longitudinal studies to improve understanding of these associations. Future studies can include other variables, such as emotion-regulation strategies, that have been identified as important mechanisms in the development of anxiety and depression in adolescents (Schäfer et al., 2017) to build a more comprehensive model for understanding the impact of childhood maltreatment in developing internalizing disorders.