The Relationship between Rejection Sensitivity and Loneliness: Double Mediation Effects of Self-Acceptance and Self-Silencing

Background: This study aimed to provide an integrated explanation of the effects of rejection sensitivity on loneliness. Specifically, this study examined the individual and serial mediating roles of self-acceptance and self-silencing in the relationship between rejection sensitivity and loneliness.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 310 male and female university students (ages 19-26 years) in South Korea. Participants completed measures assessing rejection sensitivity, self-acceptance, self-silencing, and loneliness. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0, and the PROCESS macro was used to test for direct and indirect effects.Results: Rejection sensitivity had a significant direct effect on loneliness; it was negatively correlated with self-acceptance and positively correlated with self-silencing. Both self-acceptance and self-silencing served as partial mediators in the relationship between rejection sensitivity and loneliness. Critically, the serial mediation model was significant: rejection sensitivity predicted lower self-acceptance, which in turn predicted higher self-silencing, ultimately leading to increased loneliness.Conclusions: The findings suggest that the influence of rejection sensitivity on loneliness is a complex process partially explained by the sequential roles of diminished self-acceptance and subsequent self-silencing. This study highlights the importance of targeting both self-acceptance and self-silencing in clinical and educational settings to develop effective strategies for reducing loneliness among young adults with high rejection sensitivity.