Rejection sensitivity as a mechanism linking childhood maltreatment and peer rejection to adolescent dating violence

Adolescent dating violence is a growing public health concern that threatens youth well-being worldwide. Early exposure to invalidating environments, such as parental maltreatment and peer rejection, can foster patterns of violence in later romantic relationships. Drawing on developmental theories of attachment and social learning, we synthesize evidence linking these early adverse experiences to dating violence. Specifically, we examine how maltreatment distorts attachment security and models aggression as a relational tool, and how peer rejection compounds these effects by normalizing hostility and impairing emotion regulation. We propose that rejection sensitivity is a central mechanism linking early invalidating relationships to adolescent dating violence. Findings underscore the need for prevention programs addressing both family and peer contexts of violence.