Regulating the interpersonal self: Strategic self-regulation for coping with rejection sensitivity.

Abstract

People high in rejection sensitivity (RS) anxiously expect rejection and are at risk for interpersonal and personal distress. Two studies examined the role of self-regulation through strategic attention deployment in moderating the link between RS and maladaptive outcomes. Self-regulation was assessed by the delay of gratification (DG) paradigm in childhood. In Study 1, preschoolers from the Stanford University community who participated in the DG paradigm were assessed 20 years later. Study 2 assessed low-income, minority middle school children on comparable measures. DG ability buffered high-RS people from interpersonal difficulties (aggression, peer rejection) and diminished well-being (e.g., low self-worth, higher drug use). The protective effect of DG ability on high-RS children's self-worth is explained by reduced interpersonal problems. Attentional mechanisms underlying the interaction between RS and strategic self-regulation are discussed.People's fears and doubts about whether others will meet their needs for acceptance and belonging can cause them to behave in ways that erode their relationships and their sense of well-being

Self-control forecasts better psychosocial outcomes but faster epigenetic aging in low-SES youth

“…These youth are less likely to use drugs, be arrested for and convicted of crimes, and develop psychiatric disorders. In early adulthood, these youth also show better physical health (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). These associations are generally independent of confounds like demographic characteristics, general intelligence, and psychiatric history.…”

Delay of gratification is associated with white matter connectivity in the dorsal prefrontal cortex: a diffusion tensor imaging study in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

“…Indeed, it is important to note that this study links to Mischel's [37 -40] seminal research on self-control abilities, as assessed by a parallel DG task to the one used in this study. Specifically, in humans, Mischel and co-workers have found DG abilities at age 4 years to predict planning and reasoning abilities, control in the context of negative emotions, coping and even standardized testing scores at 16 -18 years of age [38,39], and higher educational attainment, better coping with stress, lower interpersonal difficulties and substance use, and even higher self-esteem and self-worth more than 20 years later [40]. Whereas a number of tasks have been used in the literature to assess self-control abilities, a number of limitations exist.…”

Strong, Bold, and Kind: Self-Control and Cooperation in Social Dilemmas

“…Indeed, the tendency to apply self-control strategies remains remarkably consistent throughout life. For example, Mischel and colleagues found that a child's performance at age 4 on an instant gratification task (one cookie now, or two cookies later) predicted later in life their cognitive control (Eigsti et al, 2006), ability to concentrate, self-control, interpersonal competence, SAT scores, and their drug use (Mischel et al 1988;Mischel et al, 1989;Shoda et al, 1990;Ayduk et al, 2000).…”