Background: Although research suggests that social rejection expectations play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms, it is not clear whether such expectations are a risk factor for depression or rather a consequence thereof. The present study addressed this issue by investigating the time-lagged bi-directional effects of social rejection expectations and depressive symptoms.
Methods: In an online survey, participants (N = 347) completed measures of social rejection expectations, depressive symptoms, interpersonal competencies, and perceived social support at baseline and 2 months later. The relationships between the variables were examined using path models and cross-lagged path analyses.
Results: Cross-lagged path analyses provided evidence for a substantial positive effect of social rejection expectations at baseline on depressive symptoms at follow-up in addition to the reverse effect. A mediator analysis indicated that neither interpersonal competencies nor perceived social support mediated these bi-directional effects.
Conclusion: The current results demonstrate that social rejection expectations and depressive symptoms bi-directionally predict each other. Thus, social rejection expectations appears to be both a risk factor for - and a symptom of - depression. In order to prevent a vicious circle of social rejection expectations and depressive symptoms, we recommend the early detection and treatment of social rejection expectations. Moreover, social rejection expectations should be specifically addressed in cognitive-behavioural treatment of depression.
Keywords: cross-lagged panel study; depression; depressive symptoms; expectation-focused psychotherapy for depression; risk factors; social rejection expectations.
© 2022 The Authors. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.