Long-Term Associations of Justice Sensitivity, Rejection Sensitivity, and Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Depressive symptoms have been related to anxious rejection sensitivity, but little is known about relations with angry rejection sensitivity and justice sensitivity. We measured rejection sensitivity, justice sensitivity, and depressive symptoms in 1,665 9-to-21-year olds at two points of measurement. Participants with high T1 levels of depressive symptoms reported higher anxious and angry rejection sensitivity and higher justice sensitivity than controls at T1 and T2. T1 rejection, but not justice sensitivity predicted T2 depressive symptoms; high victim justice sensitivity, however, added to the stabilization of depressive symptoms. T1 depressive symptoms positively predicted T2 anxious and angry rejection and victim justice sensitivity. Hence, sensitivity toward negative social cues may be cause and consequence of depressive symptoms and requires consideration in cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression.

Keywords: adolescence; childhood; depressive symptoms; justice sensitivity; rejection sensitivity.

FIGURE 1

Cross-lagged models with RS (A), JS (B), and depressive symptoms assuming strong measurement invariance. RS: Error terms of the accordant items allowed to correlate (example displayed). JS: Error terms of the remaining two items of the JS subscales allowed to correlate (not displayed). Significant pathways and standardized model results displayed.

FIGURE 2

Latent-change model with Tl sensitivity subscales predicting changes in depressive symptoms between Tl and T2 assuming strong measurement invariance in depressive symptoms and controlled for gender and age. Measurement model for sensitivity subscales as in Figure 1. Additional indicator factor for second indicators of depressive symptoms at Tl and T2. Factor loadings on the indicator factor constrained to be equal. All predictors allowed to correlate. Standardized model results displayed.