This study examined whether rejection sensitivity and emotional clarity sequentially mediate the relationship between internalized shame and interpersonal satisfaction among college students. A total of 373 students completed a survey, and data were a...
This study examined whether rejection sensitivity and emotional clarity sequentially mediate the relationship between internalized shame and interpersonal satisfaction among college students. A total of 373 students completed a survey, and data were analyed using SPSS 21.0 and PROCESS macro 4.0. The results are as follows. First, significant correlations were found among all major variables. Second, rejection sensitivity partially mediated the relationship between internalized shame and interpersonal satisfaction. Third, emotional clarity also partially mediated this relationship. Fourth, the sequential mediating effect of rejection sensitivity and emotional clarity was statistically significant. These findings suggest that the rejection sensitivity and emotional clarity play important roles in the process through which internalized shame relates to interpersonal satisfaction. This study is significant in that it presents the need to consider not only internalized shame but also rejection sensitivity and emotional clarity in understanding college students’ interpersonal satisfaction, and provides foundational evidence for seeking related counseling and intervention strategies. Finally, the limitations of the study and direction for future research were discussed.