Perceived Parental Disharmony, Rejection Sensitivity and Social Adjustment in Adolescents

Abstract

This research was conducted to investigate the connection between Perceived Parental Disharmony (PPD), Rejection Sensitivity (RS), and Social Adjustment (SA) in adolescents. The study aimed to understand how adolescents' perceptions of parental conflict and disharmony influence their emotional responses, particularly in terms of heightened sensitivity to rejection and their ability to adjust socially in different environments. The present study investigated the relationship between PPD, RS, and SA among adolescents in Sialkot, Pakistan. A correlational research design was used, and data were collected from 303 students (150 boys, 153 girls), aged 10 to 19 years, from grades 8 to 10, using stratified random sampling. The Perceived Parental Disharmony Scale (Saleem & Amjad, 2014), Children’s Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire–Urdu (Shujja & Khan, 2017), and Social Adjustment Scale–Urdu (Shahzad, 2015) were used. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that PPD was significantly correlated with RS (r = .264, p < .001) and weakly with SA (r = .149, p < .01). RS also showed a moderate correlation with poor SA (r = .249, p < .001). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that maternal education significantly predicted PPD (F = 3.95, p < .05), and school type significantly affected both RS (F = 12.80, p < .001) and SA (F = 7.14, p < .01). Gender, age, and family system did not show significant effects. These findings highlight the impact of family dynamics and educational environment on adolescent emotional and social development.