Author: MadihaYasin
Supervisor: Iram Fatima, PhD
Degree: MPhil
Year: 2013-2015
University: Institute of Applied Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
The present research aimed to investigate the role of rejection sensitivity, perceived stigma (social discrimination, social acceptance, and social withdrawal), rumination (brooding and reflection) and psychological distress (avoidance, intrusion and hyper-arousal) in divorced women. It was also aimed to assess the mediational role of rumination and perceived stigma in the relationship between rejection sensitivity and psychological distress after divorce. Correlational research design was used. The participants comprised of 130 divorced women with 4 months to 4 years of divorce duration. Twenty two items perceived stigma scale for divorced women (PSSDW) was developed in the phase 1 of this study and its content validity was established. Urdu translated version of Rejection Sensitivity RS-Adult Questionnaire (Berenson et al., 2013), Ruminative Response Scale (Treynor, Gonzalez, & Hoeksema, 2003), Impact of Event Scale–Revised (Weiss & Marmar, 1997) were used. Principal component analysis of perceived stigma scale revealed three factors (social discrimination, social acceptance, and social withdrawal). The findings from the structural equation modeling model revealed three factors of perceived stigma i.e., social discrimination, social acceptance and social withdrawal moreover two factors of rumination i.e., brooding and reflection mediated the relationship between rejection sensitivity and psychological distress (avoidance, intrusion and hyper-arousal) in divorced women. Furthermore, two factors of rumination i.e., brooding and reflection partially mediated the relationship between all domains of perceived stigma and two domains of psychological distress (intrusion and hyper-arousal). The findings of this research will be beneficial for the marital counselors to entertain the incorporation of positive perceptions after the divorce for flourishing the adjustment in society.
Keywords: Rejection Sensitivity, Perceived stigma, Rumination, Psychological distress.
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Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245
