Parental Rejection and Peer Acceptance: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Bias

Understanding what influences peer attachments is vitally important. Consistent with organizational/transactional theory, we examined the roles of emotional dysregulation and cognitive bias, in the relationship between parental rejection and peer acceptance. Early adult participants reported their perception of parental acceptance/rejection in childhood and current levels of emotional, cognitive, and social wellbeing. Results replicate findings that the quality of a parent-child relationship relates to psychological functioning, including one’s ability to regulate emotions, understand others’ emotions and intentions, and form quality relationships. However, maladaptive cognitions mediate the relationship between parental and peer acceptance