2 - (SYM 75) Evaluating the Performance and Validity of an Oppression-based Rejection Sensitivity Task Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents

Objective: Consistent with oppression, stigma, minority stress, and rejection sensitivity theories, oppression-based rejection sensitivity is an important construct and is associated with negative health outcomes among sexual and gender minority adolescents (SGMA). Existing assessment of this construct among SGMA relies entirely on self-report measures. Additionally, measures that assess rejection sensitivity more broadly (e.g., performance-based tasks of cognitive and interpretation bias, such as the Word Sentence Association Paradigm [WSAP]) have not considered the unique context of oppression. To address these research gaps, this study developed and examined the performance and validity of an oppression-based rejection sensitivity task, the Oppression-Word Sentence Association Paradigm (O-WSAP), among SGMA.

Methods: Participants were 92 SGMA, ages 12 to 19 years old (M = 16.45; SD = 1.81; 64% cisgender; 69% White). Participants completed the O-WSAP task, in which they were presented with 10 ambiguous social situations and accepted or rejected oppression-based and benign interpretations of each. Participants also completed the original WSAP task and validated self-report measures of relevant psychological constructs (i.e., rejection sensitivity, shame, self-esteem, and heterosexism-based stressors).

Results: The O-WSAP negative accuracy score (i.e., how frequently participants rejected negative oppression-based interpretations) was positively correlated with the original WSAP negative accuracy score, and more frequent endorsement of oppression-based interpretations of social situations was associated with greater lifetime heterosexism-based stressors, anger-based rejection sensitivity, anxiety-based rejection sensitivity, and total rejection sensitivity. The O-WSAP positive accuracy score (i.e., how frequently participants endorsed benign interpretations) was positively correlated with the original WSAP positive accuracy score, and was associated with lower rejection expectancy, fewer experiences of shame, and higher self-esteem.

Conclusions: These results indicate that the novel O-WSAP performed well, as demonstrated by its correlations with the original WSAP and relevant self-report measures. Overall, the findings of this study provide initial validity of the first task-based measure of oppression-based rejection sensitivity among SGMA, which has important implications for clinical science and practice.