Self-compassion and rejection sensitivity

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between self-compassion and rejection sensitivity. Design: Self-compassion and are current concepts in social psychology and positive psychology. Preliminary evidence suggests that self-compassion is related to cognitive based social personality traits such as extraversion, social connectedness, self-determination, and feeling interpersonally connected to others. Also, rejection sensitivity is very important factor for interpersonal relationship. I wonder, are there any relation between self-compassion and rejection sensitivity.Methods: Participants were 220 university students who were enrolled at a mid-size state university in Turkey. In this study, the Self-compassion Scale and the Rejection Sensitivity Scale were used. The obtained data was analysed with Pearson momentler correlation analysis, multiple linear regression and path analysis.Results: In correlation analysis, self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness sub-factors of self-compassion were found negatively related to rejection sensitivity. On the other hand, self-judgment, isolation and over-identification factors of self-compassion were found to be positively correlated to rejection sensitivity. According to regression analysis results, rejection sensitivity was predicted negatively by self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness. Further self-judgment, isolation and over-identification predicted rejection sensitivity in a positive way.Conclusions: This research shows that self-compassion has a direct impact on rejection sensitivity. Namely, self-compassion is very important predictor for rejection sensitivity.