Rejection sensitivity and adolescent non‐suicidal self‐injury: Mediation through depressive symptoms and moderation by fear of self‐compassion

Objectives Rejection sensitivity is a risk trait that contributes to the relationships between rejection experiences in various domains and non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI). However, research about the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI has still been understudied. This study sought to examine the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the moderating role of fear of self‐compassion in the association between rejection sensitivity and adolescent NSSI. Design A cross‐sectional correlational design was employed through which rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, fear of self‐compassion, and NSSI experiences in the past year were measured. Methods Seven‐hundred twenty‐eight Chinese secondary school students (51.1% females; mean age = 14.07, SD = 0.75) were included by convenient sampling. Results Regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms worked as a mediator in the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI. It was also found that fear of self‐compassion acted as a moderator, such that a higher level of fear of self‐compassion strengthened the link between rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms and the direct link between rejection sensitivity and NSSI. Conclusions These findings highlight the need to address adolescents’ rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and fear of self‐compassion in preventing and intervening NSSI. Practitioner points Focusing on rejection sensitivity might help understand the relationships between intra‐ and interpersonal distress and NSSI. The findings of this study evidenced the risk effect of adolescents’ rejection sensitivity on NSSI and the partial mediation of depressive symptoms in the link. Targeting adolescents’ rejection sensitivity will be beneficial in developing NSSI‐related prevention and intervention programs. This study also found that adolescents’ fear of self‐compassion magnified the associations between rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and NSSI. It suggests that targeting adolescent’s fear of self‐compassion will also be beneficial.