Antecedents of Psychological Distress in Young Adults: Self-Rejection, Deprivation of Social Support, and Life Events

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Abstract
We test models predicting psychological distress as a function of the main effects of self-rejection, deprivation of social support, and life events and as a function of buffering effects of self-esteem and social support with life events. Data are from 1,633 subjects interviewed in the seventh grade and again ten years later. Measures of self-rejection and of deprivation of social support come from the earlier data. Measures of life events refer to events in the ten years that are perceived as (1) bad, (2) disruptive of routine, and (3) imposing expectations that the subject failed to meet. Psychological distress is also measured at the later interview. Regression analyses support the predicted main effects. As well, interactions between self-derogation and life events are significant net of the main effects. However, only one of six social-support by life-events interactions is significant. After considering the contribution of the main effects, we discuss the pattern of interactions. Possible explanations relate to either the meaning of family support and the substitutability of supportive relationships.

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