Date of Graduation

7-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Psychological Science

Advisor/Mentor

Cavell, Timothy A.

Committee Member

Bridges, Ana J.

Second Committee Member

Leen-Feldner, Ellen W.

Keywords

adolescence; peer victimization; perceived social support; psychiatric illness; rejection sensitivity

Abstract

In this study, I examined whether rejection sensitivity and perceptions of social support predicted concurrent peer victimization in a sample of adolescents with psychiatric illness. Participants included 43 adolescents, aged 12-18 with diverse psychiatric diagnoses, who were recruited from a summer residential treatment program. Participants completed measures of peer victimization, perceptions of social support, and rejection sensitivity. Participants also completed the global victimization item in the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, which allowed for comparison of rates of peer victimization across studies (Solberg & Olweus, 2003). Results replicate and extend previous research that indicates adolescents with psychiatric illness experience high rates of peer victimization (Cook, William, Guerra, & Kim, 2009; Hunt, Peters, & Rapee, 2012; Kärnä et al., 2011). Additionally, adolescents high in rejection sensitivity reported lower rates of peer victimization, and adolescents who perceive greater social support from parents, peers, and mentors evidenced lower peer victimization. Results do not support evidence of an interaction between perceptions of social support and rejection sensitivity. Taken together, the unique peer victimization experiences for youth with psychiatric illness have specific implications for researchers and practitioners.

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